It has been reported by our students, that the online IBPS PO/MT CWE 2017 Main examination held on 26th Nov 2017 was on par with the one held in 2016, in terms of difficulty level, with the exception of some new question types were added to this exam.

The difficulty level of the Reasoning and English Sections was a few notches higher than the usual, and they were hence more challenging than the other sections. The Quant section was time-consuming, whereas the one on GA was of moderate difficulty level.

The following changes / new question types were observed in the paper this year:

1. Questions on direction-sense based on Symbols Notations were inserted;
2. A new format of Puzzle questions was presented (diagram based and selections);
3. Questions on Input-Output involving a new logic (using concept of coding-decoding) were asked.
4. The Cloze test paragraph in the English section was presented in a novel manner – each of the five options per blank had a pair of words, and the candidate had to opt for that choice where both the words fit that given blank.
5. Para forming Questions were presented with an entirely new look, and a new version of Error Identification questions were introduced.

The snap shot of the exam is given below:

The analysis of the above mentioned session, as reported by our students, is given below.

Quantitative Aptitude:

According to feedback received from our students who appeared for this exam, this section can be rated as moderate to difficult and was quite time-consuming.

Questions on DI were quite tedious and time-demanding; questions on caselets were tough, while those on number series were reportedly a mix of moderate and difficult. Individual questions in this section were based on topics like Age, Time & Work, Time & Distance, Mensuration, Mixtures & Alligations etc.. Though not direct questions, they have been described as tricky, and only a complete knowledge of concepts could have helped a candidate work them out accurately. Questions on Data Sufficiency (2 statements) found a place in this year's test, and they too ranged from moderate to difficult. There were 5 questions on Data comparison that were reportedly moderate.

Reasoning Ability and Computer Aptitude:

This section has been labelled 'difficult'.

The emphasis here was on puzzles, which were a tough nut to crack. There are two new types of puzzles here – Diagram-based and Selections. The questions on Direction-Sense were based on Symbols and Notations, and students found these both bothersome and time-consuming. Questions on Coding-Decoding were equally difficult. The Data Sufficiency topic posed moderate to difficult questions. About 10 questions were asked on Critical Reasoning.

There were no questions on Computer Aptitude in this section.

English Language:

This section was much more difficult as compared to that of last year. There were two RC passages with a total of ten questions. The commonly and frequently asked Para formation and Error Identification questions were with a seemingly novel format, and were hence slightly harder to grasp immediately. The first type included 5 sentences arranged in sequential order, and questions asked read as -

Which of the following sentences can replace the first sentence?

Which of the following sentences can be placed between the 2nd and the 3rd sentences? Etc. With regard to Error Identification, a certain part of the sentence in bold was declared as being grammatically correct. The test-taker was expected to identify an error from the remaining parts of the sentence.

Though not shockers, these supposedly questions must have certainly foxed the candidate by their unexpectedness! These can therefore be tagged as moderate to difficult.

Other questions included the usual ones on Sentence Connectors/starters and Synonym / Antonym.

The Cloze test paragraph in the English section was presented in a hitherto unseen pattern, and may have confounded the students. Each of the five options for any given blank contained a pair of words, and the candidate was supposed to pick and mark that option as his / her answer choice, where the words fit the blank appropriately. Overall, this section can be pegged as 'Difficult'.

General Awareness:

While half of the questions asked here were based on Banking Awareness and Indian Economy, the other half were drawn from Current Affairs. Students have reported this as a moderate and doable section.

(B) Descriptive Test:

This section was conducted for 25 marks, with a time limit of 30 minutes, and comprised Letter and Essay Writing. There were 3 topics for writing essays and 3 for letter, and the test taker had to pick one topic from each and write on it. Both the letter and essay were to be written in 150 words each.

Essay topics:

1. Which reform in Indian education can be compared with that at the International level?
2. Cashless economy – Advantages and Disadvantages
3. How gadgets influence the intellectual capabilities of humans

Letter Writing:

1. Letter to a friend advising him to plan his own start-up.
2. Letter to the HR department of your office emphasising the need of training to your subordinates .
3. Letter to the Branch Manager of your bank, informing him about the loss of your credit card and asking him to block the old card and issue a new one.