Cracking the SBI PO Exam in 2 Months: A Personal Journey
Hi there, aspiring bank exam candidates! After reading this post, you too can gain the confidence to crack the SBI PO exam in just 2 months. My story of success is a testament to the power of hard work and effective preparation.
My Background and Journey
I am an engineering graduate who took a year off to prepare for the UPSC CAPF AC exam. After a year of dedicated preparation, I failed the exam. Instead of giving up, I decided to prepare for bank exams. The journey from starting my preparation in September 2022, with the preliminary exam in October and the mains in November, was both challenging and rewarding.
Cracking the Mathematics Section
The mathematics section, particularly the preliminary examination, required a focused and strategic approach. I started by analyzing the exam pattern and syllabus, and soon discovered that simplification, quadratic equations, and number series are crucial topics for scoring at least 5 to 15 marks. I watched many YouTube videos and learned quick methods to solve these topics. For data interpretation (DI) questions, I realized the importance of simplifying the data first, which significantly reduced the time needed for solving these problems.
Prior to diving into DI, I reviewed basic mathematical concepts like percentages and ratios. These are foundational for tackling complex DI problems. Despite my background, I skipped the arithmetic section as I found it time-consuming and not crucial for preliminary scores. I prioritized the other mathematics sections, focusing on topics that offered a higher chance of scoring.
Reasoning: The Big Challenge
Reasoning was the most challenging part for me. Initially, I thought the reasoning section would be similar to that of the SSC CGL exam. However, I soon realized it was significantly more difficult. After covering miscellaneous topics like inequality, syllogism, and direction sense, I then focused on puzzle and sitting arrangement problems, which account for approximately 20 to 35 marks.
With rigorous practice from watching numerous YouTube tutorials, I gradually improved my problem-solving speed. Initially, solving a single puzzle took me over 30 minutes, whereas my peers could solve it in under 2 minutes. This realization was incredibly demotivating, but with consistent practice, I improved significantly, reducing the time required to solve such problems.
English Section: The Secret to Scoring
The English section was relatively easier for me, considering my background in studying Hindi medium until 12th grade. However, the style of questions in bank exams is quite different. To excel, I focused on reading and listening to English more. Starting with simple English books from classes 1 to 12 and progressing to reading editorials of news articles, I found that my understanding of the language improved dramatically.
I spent 30 minutes each day reading The Hindu's editorial section to enhance my comprehension skills. This section played a vital role in the mains exam, where I managed well in non-puzzle sections like miscellaneous and critical reasoning.
Mock Tests and Practice
Regular practice is essential, and I followed a strict regimen of solving mock tests. Initially, my scores were poor, but through continuous analysis and strategy adjustments, I became adept at identifying which questions to attempt and which to skip. I realized that shortcuts don't work; mock tests are primarily for practice.
Mains Preparation
For the mains, I focused heavily on current affairs, solving around 10 mains-level mock tests. While I was able to solve some questions, I found the puzzle and critical reasoning sections particularly challenging. I worked on my critical reasoning skills diligently, as they helped significantly in the mains exam.
Conclusion
Hard work truly brings luck. Remember, the path to success in competitive exams is paved with determination and perseverance. Invest your time wisely, and don't let past mishaps demotivate you. Keep pushing forward and aim to be the talented candidate that raises the cutoff in competitive exams.
If you have any questions or need further advice, feel free to reach out in the comments below. And if this post has helped you, please upvote it to spread the message to others.
- Dinesh