Did you know 70% of the IBPS PO aspirants who clear prelims but fail to qualify for mains –the biggest mistake is they entirely focusing on IBPS PO prelims, and thinking to give time to mains later. 

But how does that make sense logically? There is only 25-30 days between the prelims result and the mains exam. What was supposed to be later often turns into panic and rushed revision, costing them their final selection.

What if I told you the secret of top rankers?

Toppers prepare for IBPS PO prelims and mains exams from Day 1–with different intensity, but with a unified goal. 

In this blog I will show you how to prepare for IBPS PO Prelims and Mains together without feeling overwhelmed.

IBPS PO Prelims and Mains: How to Prepare Both in One Go

Effective preparation begins with clarity. IBPS PO prelims and mains are designed to test different skills. The prelims exam checks applicant’s speed and accuracy while mains assess their analytical thinking, subject depth, and writing skills. Follow the strategies given below to prepare for IBPS PO prelims and mains together.

1. Understand the syllabus and exam pattern of IBPS PO prelims and mains in detail 

• Before starting preparation for IBPS PO bank exam it is essential to understand the latest exam pattern and syllabus of IBPS PO prelims and mains to identify how to prepare for IBPS PO prelims and mains together. 
• Spend some quality time to analyze the total number of questions in each section with their weightage before you pick up books and start practicing. 

Tip: Making a comparative table of prelims and mains helps you to spot overlapping areas for better preparation.

Without wasting time, double tap to → Mater the entire IBPS PO mains Syllabus and Preparation Strategy in one Place

2. Divide your preparation into three categories 

Create a balanced preparation strategy to crack the IBPS PO bank exam in the first attempt.

2.1. Common topics (Prelims + Mains)

These are foundation topics that appear in both prelims and mains – only the difficulty level is different.

It includes:

Strategy: 

• Build conceptual clarity

• Practice prelims-level questions first then move towards mains. 

• Use topic-wise puzzles and short tests to build confidence.

2.2. Mains Exclusive Topics 

Most of the students face a struggle here to solve these questions, which may be asked only in mains.

It includes:

Strategy:

• Start early with General awareness preparation (reading + note making).

• Dedicate 40-45 minutes daily to these questions. 

• Practice descriptive writing weekly (1 essay + 1 letter).

• Solve at least one mains-level mock test every week to get more marks. 

               2.3  Prelims Focused Practice (Speed & Accuracy)

Prelims are all about speed and accuracy. These areas might not be visible in mains.

What’s included?

• Speed Maths: Simplification, approximation, quadratic equations.

• Easy- Medium Reasoning: Direction sense, order and ranking, alphabet test.

• Spotting easy English errors quickly in short paragraphs.

Strategy:

• Solve time bound quizzes daily (15 – 20 min per second).

• Practice 2 full-length prelims mock tests weekly to build confidence and to increase speed and accuracy.

This strategy helps you to give proportional attention to both prelims and mains without getting lost.

3. Build Strong Conceptual Clarity First 

• In the initial months of preparation, don’t lose confidence to see mock test scores. 

• To understand concepts, choose the best books and resources for IBPS PO preparation.
• Solve basic to moderate-level questions. 
• Clear your fundamentals in quantitative aptitude, reasoning and english. 

This solid foundation helps in both prelims and mains performance later.

4. Follow a weekly timetable to crack the IBPS PO bank exam in the first attempt 

How many hours should you study to crack the bank exam?

• Daily 4-5 hours you should study to crack IBPS PO and other bank exams.

• On Weekends: Add 1-2 extra hours for mock test analysis or revision.

Focus on quality not move towards quantity – consistency beats cramming.

Weekly timetable: 

Tip: Keep Sunday flexible- revise or take a full length mock test.

Check here which study plan is best for you → IBPS PO Study Plan for 3, 6, and 12 Months

5. Start Mock Tests Early (1 Prelims + 1 Mains Every Week)

• Start giving mock tests earlier without waiting for the syllabus completion. 

• Prelims mock test to enhance speed and accuracy.
• Give Section-wise mock tests to face the difficulty level of questions.

After the mock test, don’t forget to analyze some key points: 

• Time spent per question
• Speed vs. accuracy 
• Weak areas and strengths

6. Stay consistent with current affairs (daily 30 minutes)

General awareness is a scoring section in mains which has an ultimate effect on the mains overall score.

Follow:

• Learn daily current affairs (from apps, PDFs, or websites).

• Monthly/weekly quizzes. 

• Banking & financial awareness (important for the interviews too).

7. Practice Descriptive Writing Weekly:

• Don’t forget to practice 1 essay + 1 letter per week.
• Focus on structure, word limit, and clarity.
• Most of the topics come from current issues or banking awareness so stay updated!

8. Solve Previous Year Question Papers

Solve previous year question papers for clarity on important and repeated topics.

• It helps to boost confidence level with difficulty level and question types.
• Target both IBPS PO prelims and mains previous year question papers for maximum benefit.

9. Adopt your Strategy Every 2 weeks 

After every two weeks check out:

• What’s working (Are mock scores improving)?

• What’s not working (which section is still weak)?

• What to change (More time on GA? Less time on Grammar?)?

10. Final 30-Day Revision Plan (Post Prelims)

• After the prelims exam, shift complete focus and energy towards the IBPS PO mains exam.
• Double down on mains topics.
• Revise the last 6 months of current affairs and take 3-4 full-length mains mock tests per week.

Thanks to your earlier preparation of both IBPS PO prelims and mains together, this phase is just to polish your preparation and also get you ready for mains with full confidence. 

Why Prepare for IBPS PO Prelims and Mains Together 

One of the biggest mistakes that is done by the students of IBPS PO is they treat prelims and mains as completely separate battles. They give their all their time and energy to crack prelims first.

Main preparation until the result is out. This approach seems to be the reason for failure for a number of applicants.

 Let’s be realistic:

• The gap between prelims and mains is no more than 20-40 days. 

• Mains include tougher questions with more sections and a descriptive test.

• Waiting for the prelims result is a total wastage of time. 

• Most of the students fail in mains and clear prelims due to last-minute preparation for IBPS PO mains.

Prepare together for IBPS PO prelims and mains ensure:

• Smoother transition to mains after prelims.

• Better conceptual clarity. 

• There are more chances to clear both prelims and mains together.

Conclusion

Preparing for both IBPS PO prelims and mains together is not about studying double; it’s all about studying smarter with the right preparation strategies, which….

• Helps to manage time better. 

• Reduce stress and build confidence. 

• Maximize your chance of selection for IBPS PO in the first attempt.

Stay consistent and confident – selection will definitely come.

FAQs: How to Prepare for IBPS PO Prelims and Mains Together

Q1. How to prepare for IBPS PO prelims and mains together at home?

Ans. To prepare for IBPS PO prelims and mains together, read the above information, which helps you to crack both in the first attempt.

Q2. How to prepare for IBPS PO bank exam after 12^th?

Ans. Master school-level math/English now, and then start sectional practice during your graduation so that you complete 2-3 mock tests up to completion of graduation.

Q3. Best self-study timetable for IBPS PO bank exam preparation?

Ans. Give 2 hours to quant, 1.5 hours to reasoning, 1 hour to english, and 1.5 hours to mock tests with analysis of daily performance.

Q4. How can I crack the IBPS PO bank exam in the first attempt?

Ans. To crack the IBPS PO bank exam in the attempt, start early preparation, regularly mock tests practice, masters basic, strong GA preparation, and consistent practice with focused time management. 

Q5. Which type of books is best for the preparation of IBPS PO prelims and mains together?

Ans. The Best books for the systematic preparation of the IBPS PO prelims and mains exams together are Arun Sharma (Quant), Nishit Sinha (DI), Wren & Martin (English), RS Aggarwal (Reasoning). 

Q6. How to start IBPS PO competitive exam preparation from level zero?

Ans. Double tab:  To Start Preparing for IBPS PO from Scratch

Q7. Tips to score above 100 in the IBPS PO mains exam?

Ans. Target 80+ marks in mock tests consistently, don’t lose marks in your strong section, maintain GA notes with daily revision, and improve accuracy with time management. All these tips help you to score 100 in mains.

Q8. Is one month enough for IBPS PO?

Ans. Only when your basics are strong and you are in mock test mode. In that case, one month is enough to polish your speed, accuracy, and strategy. For beginners, one month is not enough to crack the IBPS PO bank exam.

Also Check:

• IBPS PO Study Plan for 3, 6, and 12 Months
• IBPS Clerk vs. IBPS PO: Which Exam is Easier to Crack?
• IBPS PO Mains Exam: Detailed Syllabus and Preparation Tips
• How to Start Preparing for IBPS PO from Scratch
• IBPS PO Prelims vs. Mains: Key Differences in Exam Patterns
• The Importance of Mock Tests in Bank Exam Preparation
• IBPS PO Interview Documents: Check the Required Documents
• IBPS PO Interview Questions 2025: Top Expected Questions
• How to Effectively Prepare for IBPS Prelims English Section?