Meet Priya Sharma - IBPS PO 2023 All India Rank 1

An inspiring conversation with the topper who cracked IBPS PO with flying colors!

👤 About Priya Sharma

Name: Priya Sharma
Age: 24 years
Education: B.Com (Hons) from Delhi University
IBPS PO 2023 Rank: All India Rank 1
Final Selection: State Bank of India (SBI)
Current Posting: Assistant Manager, SBI Mumbai
Preparation Duration: 8 months (Full-time)
Attempts: 2nd Attempt (1st attempt: Prelims cleared, Mains not cleared)

📝 The Journey - In Her Own Words

Q1: Tell us about your background and why you chose banking as a career?

Priya:

“I come from a middle-class family in Delhi. My father is a government school teacher and mother is a homemaker. After completing my B.Com, I was confused between MBA, CA, or a government job.

I chose banking because:

1. Job Security - Government job provides stability
2. Respect in Society - Banking sector is highly respected
3. Growth Opportunities - Clear promotion path and excellent salary
4. Work-Life Balance - Better than corporate jobs
5. Serving People - Banking allows you to help people with their financial needs

My father always said, ‘A stable government job is the best foundation for your career.’ That motivated me to pursue IBPS.”

Q2: What happened in your first attempt? How did you analyze your failure?

Priya:

“In my first attempt (IBPS PO 2022), I cleared Prelims with 72 marks but failed in Mains by just 3 marks. That was devastating!

Analysis of First Attempt Failure:

1. Data Interpretation Weakness

   • I scored only 28/60 in DI section
   • Couldn’t solve complex caselet DI questions in time
   • Made calculation errors under pressure

2. English Descriptive Paper

   • My essay was off-topic (didn’t understand the question properly)
   • Letter writing was too informal
   • Scored only 25/50 in descriptive

3. General Awareness Gap

   • Focused only on last 3 months current affairs
   • Ignored banking awareness and static GK
   • Lost easy marks

4. Time Management Issues

   • Spent too much time on difficult questions
   • Left 10 questions unattempted in Mains

But this failure taught me valuable lessons! I took it positively and made a concrete plan for next attempt.”

Q3: How did you prepare differently in your second attempt?

Priya:

“I did a complete overhaul of my preparation strategy:

1. Joined a Coaching Institute (Offline)

• Enrolled in a reputed coaching center in Delhi
• Attended regular classes for 3 months
• Got expert guidance on DI and Reasoning

2. Created a Structured Study Plan

• 8-10 hours daily study (full-time preparation)
• Fixed schedule for each subject
• Weekly revision cycles

3. Focused on Weak Areas

• Dedicated 2 hours daily to Data Interpretation
• Solved 500+ DI questions
• Improved calculation speed

4. Mastered Descriptive Writing

• Wrote 50+ essays on banking and social topics
• Practiced 30+ formal letters
• Got them evaluated by my coaching teacher
• Read newspapers daily to improve writing quality

5. Comprehensive Current Affairs

• Made notes of last 6 months current affairs
• Revised banking awareness thoroughly
• Created flash cards for important dates, persons, schemes

6. Mock Tests Marathon

• Gave 100+ mock tests (Prelims + Mains)
• Analyzed every single mock test
• Maintained error log

This systematic approach made all the difference!”

Q4: What was your detailed study plan? Day-wise breakdown?

Priya:

“Here’s my actual daily schedule during preparation:

Morning Session (6:00 AM - 10:00 AM) - 4 hours

6:00 - 7:00 AM: Newspaper Reading (The Hindu)
               - Made notes of important news
               - Highlighted banking/economy news

7:00 - 8:30 AM: Quantitative Aptitude Practice
               - 50 questions daily
               - Focus: DI, Simplification, Number Series

8:30 - 9:00 AM: Breakfast + Light revision

9:00 - 10:00 AM: English (Reading Comprehension)
                 - 2 RC passages daily
                 - Vocabulary building (20 new words)

Mid-Morning Session (10:30 AM - 1:30 PM) - 3 hours

10:30 - 12:30 PM: Reasoning Ability
                  - Puzzles & Seating: 1.5 hours
                  - Other topics: 30 minutes
                  - 40-50 questions daily

12:30 - 1:30 PM: General Awareness
                 - Banking Awareness (30 min)
                 - Current Affairs (30 min)

Afternoon (1:30 - 3:00 PM)

1:30 - 2:00 PM: Lunch
2:00 - 3:00 PM: Power Nap (Essential for concentration!)

Evening Session (3:00 PM - 7:00 PM) - 4 hours

3:00 - 4:00 PM: Previous Day Revision
                - Went through notes
                - Revised formulas

4:00 - 6:00 PM: Mock Test (either full or sectional)
                - Full mock: Thrice a week
                - Sectional mock: Other days

6:00 - 7:00 PM: Mock Test Analysis
                - Identified mistakes
                - Noted weak areas
                - Updated error log

Night Session (7:30 PM - 10:00 PM) - 2.5 hours

7:30 - 8:00 PM: Dinner + Family Time

8:00 - 9:00 PM: Weak Area Practice
                - Focused on mistakes from mock test
                - Solved similar questions

9:00 - 10:00 PM: English Descriptive Practice
                 - Essay writing (alternate days)
                 - Letter writing (alternate days)

10:00 - 10:30 PM: Current Affairs Revision (flash cards)

Sunday:

• Full-length mock test in morning
• Complete analysis in afternoon
• Light revision in evening
• Weekly target review

Total Study Time: 8-10 hours daily (excluding breaks)”

Q5: How many mock tests did you give? What was your mock test strategy?

Priya:

“Mock tests were the GAME CHANGER for me!

Mock Test Statistics:

Prelims Mock Tests: 80 tests

• Started 3 months before exam
• 3-4 mocks per week
• Score progression: 55 → 68 → 78 → 85+ (final tests)

Mains Mock Tests: 25 tests

• Started 2 months before Mains
• 2-3 mocks per week
• Score progression: 110/200 → 135/200 → 155/200 (final tests)

Mock Test Strategy:

Before Mock:

1. Simulated exact exam conditions
2. Kept phone away
3. Set timer strictly
4. No breaks during test

During Mock:

1. Followed my exam day strategy (explained later)
2. Marked difficult questions for review
3. Kept calm if stuck

After Mock (MOST IMPORTANT):

1. Detailed Analysis - 2 hours minimum

   • Reviewed every single question (correct + incorrect)
   • Identified why I got wrong (concept gap/silly mistake/calculation error)
   • Noted questions I should have attempted but didn’t
   • Analyzed time spent on each section

2. Error Log Maintenance

   • Created Excel sheet with columns:
     • Date | Topic | Question | Why Wrong | Concept to Revise
   • Reviewed error log weekly
   • Ensured same mistake not repeated

3. Weak Area Identification

   • If scored <70% in any topic → Marked as weak
   • Dedicated next 2 days to that topic
   • Solved 50 extra questions

4. Time Management Improvement

   • Tracked time per question
   • If too much time on any section → Adjusted strategy
   • Practiced skipping difficult questions quickly

Key Learning: Don’t just give mocks blindly. Analysis is 10x more important than the test itself!”

Q6: What was your section-wise strategy for Prelims and Mains?

Priya:

PRELIMS STRATEGY (60 minutes for 100 questions):

Section Order (Very Important!):

1. English (20 minutes): Attempted first as it’s my strong area

   • Reading Comprehension: 10 min (15/15 correct)
   • Other questions: 10 min (13/15 correct)
   • Target: 28/30 questions attempted

2. Reasoning (22 minutes): Second priority

   • Puzzles: 12 min (2 sets = 10 questions)
   • Syllogism: 3 min (5 questions)
   • Other topics: 7 min (15 questions)
   • Target: 30/35 questions attempted

3. Quantitative (18 minutes): Last section

   • Simplification: 5 min (10 questions)
   • Number Series: 3 min (5 questions)
   • DI (1 set): 6 min (5 questions)
   • Miscellaneous: 4 min (5 questions)
   • Target: 25/35 questions attempted

Total Attempted: 83/100 questions Accuracy Target: 90%+ Final Score: 85+ marks

MAINS STRATEGY (180 minutes for 155 questions):

Section Order & Time Allocation:

1. English (35 minutes → Used 40 minutes):

   • RC (2 passages): 20 min
   • Para Jumbles: 5 min
   • Error Spotting: 5 min
   • Fill in the Blanks: 5 min
   • Other: 5 min
   • Attempted: 30/35 questions
   • Score: 34/40

2. Reasoning + Computer (55 minutes → Used 60 minutes):

   • Puzzles (3 sets): 25 min
   • Syllogism: 5 min
   • Coded Inequalities: 3 min
   • Other Reasoning: 15 min
   • Computer Knowledge: 12 min
   • Attempted: 38/45 questions
   • Score: 52/60

3. Data Analysis (40 minutes → Used 45 minutes):

   • DI (4 sets): 35 min (20 questions)
   • Number Series: 5 min (5 questions)
   • Miscellaneous: 5 min (5 questions)
   • Attempted: 30/35 questions
   • Score: 54/60

4. General Awareness (25 minutes → Used 30 minutes):

   • Banking Awareness: 10 min (15 questions)
   • Current Affairs: 10 min (15 questions)
   • Static GK: 5 min (8 questions)
   • Attempted: 38/40 questions
   • Score: 35/40

Descriptive Paper (Separate 30 minutes):

• Essay (400 words): 20 minutes Topic: “Digital Banking - Boon or Bane?”
• Letter (150 words): 10 minutes Formal letter to Bank Manager
• Score: 42/50

Total Mains Score: 217/250 (86.8%)

Key Strategy Points:

• Start with strongest section for confidence boost
• Skip difficult questions immediately (don’t waste time)
• Mark questions for review if time permits
• Maintain accuracy over attempting all questions
• Stay calm if a section is tough"

Q7: Which topics did you prioritize? Topic-wise weightage?

Priya:

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE - Priority Order:

High Priority (30-35 questions):

1. ✅ Data Interpretation (15-20 questions) - HIGHEST WEIGHTAGE

   • Caselet DI, Table DI, Bar Graph, Pie Chart
   • 2 hours daily practice

2. ✅ Simplification & Approximation (10-15 questions)

   • BODMAS, Square roots, Cube roots
   • 30 min daily practice

3. ✅ Number Series (5 questions)

   • Pattern recognition
   • 15 min daily

Medium Priority (15-20 questions): 4. ✅ Time & Work, Pipes & Cisterns (3-5 questions) 5. ✅ Percentage, Profit & Loss (3-5 questions) 6. ✅ Simple & Compound Interest (2-3 questions) 7. ✅ Ratio & Proportion, Partnership (2-3 questions) 8. ✅ Average, Alligation & Mixture (2-3 questions)

Low Priority (5-10 questions): 9. Mensuration, Time-Speed-Distance (2-3 questions) 10. Probability, Permutation & Combination (2-3 questions)

REASONING ABILITY - Priority Order:

High Priority (25-30 questions):

1. ✅ Puzzles & Seating Arrangement (15-20 questions) - MOST IMPORTANT

   • Linear, Circular, Floor-based
   • 1.5 hours daily practice

2. ✅ Syllogism (5 questions)

   • Venn diagram method
   • 15 min daily

3. ✅ Coded Inequalities (5 questions)

   • Symbol decoding
   • 10 min daily

Medium Priority (10-15 questions): 4. ✅ Blood Relations (3-4 questions) 5. ✅ Direction Sense (2-3 questions) 6. ✅ Coding-Decoding (3-4 questions) 7. ✅ Input-Output (3-4 questions)

Low Priority (5 questions): 8. Alphanumeric Series, Ranking

ENGLISH LANGUAGE - Priority Order:

High Priority (25-30 questions):

1. ✅ Reading Comprehension (10-15 questions) - CRITICAL

   • Daily 2 passages
   • 30 min daily

2. ✅ Error Spotting (5-7 questions)

   • Grammar rules
   • 20 min daily

3. ✅ Cloze Test (5-8 questions)

   • Context understanding
   • 15 min daily

Medium Priority (10-15 questions): 4. ✅ Para Jumbles (5 questions) 5. ✅ Fill in the Blanks (5 questions) 6. ✅ Sentence Improvement (3-5 questions)

Always Prepared: 7. ✅ Idioms & Phrases 8. ✅ One-word Substitution 9. ✅ Vocabulary

GENERAL AWARENESS:

Must-Know (100% coverage):

1. ✅ Last 6 months Current Affairs
2. ✅ Banking Awareness (RBI policies, schemes, mergers)
3. ✅ Important Dates, Days, Persons
4. ✅ Awards & Honors
5. ✅ Sports (Winners, Tournaments)
6. ✅ Books & Authors
7. ✅ Capitals, Currencies

My Advice: Focus 80% effort on high-priority topics. They give maximum returns!"

Q8: How did you manage stress and stay motivated during preparation?

Priya:

Stress Management Techniques:

1. Physical Activities (Daily 1 hour)

• Morning yoga: 30 minutes
• Evening walk: 30 minutes
• Helped clear my mind and improve concentration

2. Adequate Sleep

• 7-8 hours sleep daily
• Never compromised on sleep before mock tests
• Power nap in afternoon (30 min)

3. Family Support

• My parents were very supportive
• They handled all household work
• Father helped me stay positive after bad mock scores

4. Weekly Break

• Sunday evening: Completely free
• Watched movie or met friends
• Recharged for next week

5. Meditation

• 15 minutes daily before sleeping
• Helped reduce anxiety
• Improved focus

Motivation Strategies:

1. Vision Board

• Created a vision board with:
  • IBPS PO Rank 1 goal
  • Picture of officer cabin
  • Salary slip visualization
• Kept it in front of study table

2. Success Stories

• Read topper interviews
• Watched motivational videos
• Joined IBPS aspirants WhatsApp group

3. Milestone Celebrations

• Small rewards for achieving weekly targets
• Favorite meal after completing a difficult topic
• Movie after 10 mock tests

4. Positive Affirmations

• Daily affirmations:
  • “I am capable of becoming Rank 1”
  • “Every mock test is making me stronger”
  • “I will crack IBPS PO”

5. Competition Tracker

• Tracked my friends’ progress
• Healthy competition motivated me
• Study group discussions

Dealing with Bad Days:

• Accepted that bad days are normal
• Took a break instead of forcing study
• Analyzed what went wrong
• Came back stronger next day

My Mantra: ‘Consistency beats intensity. Show up every day!’"

Q9: What resources did you use for preparation?

Priya:

Books:

Quantitative Aptitude:

1. ✅ R.S. Aggarwal - Quantitative Aptitude (for basics)
2. ✅ Arun Sharma - Quantitative Aptitude for CAT (advanced level)
3. ✅ Rakesh Yadav - Class Notes (for DI)

Reasoning:

1. ✅ R.S. Aggarwal - Reasoning
2. ✅ Rakesh Yadav - Reasoning Class Notes

English:

1. ✅ Wren & Martin - High School Grammar
2. ✅ Norman Lewis - Word Power Made Easy
3. ✅ Arihant - Descriptive English

General Awareness:

1. ✅ Banking Awareness by Arihant
2. ✅ Manorama Yearbook (Static GK)

Online Resources:

Websites & Apps:

1. ✅ Oliveboard - Mock tests (Best for IBPS pattern)
2. ✅ Adda247 - Daily quizzes and current affairs
3. ✅ Gradeup - Mock tests and notes
4. ✅ Testbook - Sectional tests

YouTube Channels:

1. ✅ Adda247 - Daily current affairs
2. ✅ Study Smart - Shortcuts and tricks
3. ✅ Banking Wallah - Banking awareness

Newspapers & Magazines:

1. ✅ The Hindu (Daily)
2. ✅ Banking Services Chronicle (Monthly magazine)
3. ✅ Pratiyogita Darpan (Monthly)

Current Affairs:

1. ✅ Monthly current affairs PDF (Oliveboard)
2. ✅ Daily GK updates (Adda247 app)
3. ✅ Flash cards for quick revision

My Tip: Don’t collect too many resources. Stick to few quality materials and revise them multiple times!"

Q10: What were your scores in Prelims, Mains, and Interview?

Priya:

IBPS PO 2023 Scores:

Prelims (Out of 100):

English: 28/30
Reasoning: 32/35
Quantitative: 27/35
Total: 87/100

Cutoff: 70 (General category)
My Score: 87 ✅ CLEARED

Mains (Out of 250):

Reasoning + Computer: 52/60
English: 34/40
Data Analysis: 54/60
General Awareness: 35/40
Descriptive: 42/50
Total: 217/250

Cutoff: 160 (General category)
My Score: 217 ✅ CLEARED (Rank 1 in Mains!)

Interview (Out of 100):

Panel: 5 members (1 Chairman, 4 members)
Duration: 25 minutes
Questions: Banking awareness, Current affairs, Personal questions

My Score: 78/100
Average Interview Score: 45-55
Cutoff: 40

Comment: Interview went very well. Panel was impressed with my confidence and knowledge.

Final Score (Out of 350):

Mains: 217/250
Interview: 78/100
Total: 295/350

Final Rank: All India Rank 1 (General Category)

Score Progression Analysis:

My journey shows improvement through practice:

• First Attempt Prelims: 72
• Second Attempt Prelims: 87 (+15 marks)
• First Attempt Mains: 147
• Second Attempt Mains: 217 (+70 marks!)

Key: Focused preparation and mock tests improved Mains score dramatically!"

Q11: How did you prepare for the interview?

Priya:

Interview Preparation (30 days):

1. Current Affairs (Deep Study)

• Revised last 6 months current affairs thoroughly
• Focused on:
  • Banking sector news (mergers, NPAs, digital banking)
  • Economic policies (budget, monetary policy)
  • RBI policies and announcements
  • International affairs
• Created 200 flash cards with Q&A

2. Banking Awareness

• Memorized:
  • All RBI monetary policy rates
  • Banking schemes (PMJDY, MUDRA, etc.)
  • Important banking dates
  • Bank mergers
  • Banking terminology
• Read Banking Services Chronicle thoroughly

3. Personal Introduction

• Prepared 2-minute introduction
• Covered:
  • Educational background
  • Why banking?
  • Strengths and weaknesses
  • Hobbies and interests
• Practiced in front of mirror 50+ times

4. Mock Interviews

• Gave 10 mock interviews at coaching center
• Got feedback on:
  • Body language
  • Communication skills
  • Answer quality
• Improved with each mock

5. Newspaper Reading

• Read newspaper daily during interview preparation
• Focused on editorial page
• Prepared opinions on current issues

6. Hobby-Related Questions

• My hobby: Reading books
• Read 5 recent books
• Prepared to discuss them in detail

Actual Interview Experience:

Date: March 15, 2024 Venue: Mumbai Panel: 5 members (4 men, 1 woman)

Questions Asked (Some examples):

1. “Tell us about yourself”
2. “Why banking and not MBA?”
3. “What is repo rate? Why did RBI change it recently?”
4. “Explain NPAs and how to reduce them”
5. “Latest bank merger and your opinion on it”
6. “If you’re posted in rural area, will you accept?”
7. “What is digital rupee (CBDC)? Benefits?”
8. “Name 3 recent government schemes”
9. “Current GDP growth rate of India”
10. “You mentioned reading books. Tell us about your favorite book”
11. “Why should we select you?”
12. “Any questions for us?”

My Strategy:

• Answered confidently even if not 100% sure
• Maintained eye contact
• Smiled throughout
• Admitted when didn’t know answer
• Showed enthusiasm for banking

Result: 78/100 marks (Excellent score!)"

💡 Top 10 Tips from Priya for IBPS Aspirants

1. Focus on Weak Areas “Don’t just practice what you’re good at. Spend more time on weak topics. My DI was weak, so I gave it 2 hours daily. That’s what made the difference!”

2. Mock Tests are Non-Negotiable “Give at least 50-80 prelims mocks and 20-25 mains mocks. But more importantly, ANALYZE every mock thoroughly. That’s where real learning happens.”

3. Maintain an Error Log “Track every mistake in an Excel sheet. Review it weekly. This prevented me from repeating mistakes. I had 500+ entries in my error log!”

4. Current Affairs Daily “Don’t postpone current affairs to last month. Make daily notes of important news. 15 minutes daily is better than 5 hours before exam!”

5. Descriptive Practice is Crucial “Write at least 2-3 essays per week and get them evaluated. My poor descriptive score in first attempt taught me this lesson the hard way.”

6. Master Time Management “Practice solving 100 questions in 60 minutes (Prelims) with 90%+ accuracy. Speed without accuracy is useless!”

7. Stick to Fewer Resources “Don’t buy every book available. Master 2-3 good books rather than reading 10 books superficially. Quality over quantity!”

8. Take Care of Health “8 hours study with fresh mind is better than 12 hours with tired mind. Sleep well, exercise daily, eat healthy!”

9. Stay Positive After Bad Mocks “Bad mock scores are learning opportunities. Analyze, improve, and move forward. Don’t get demotivated!”

10. Believe in Yourself “I was told Rank 1 is impossible in second attempt. I proved them wrong. If I can do it, so can you. Just stay consistent and work smart!”

🎯 Priya’s Final Message to Aspirants

“Dear IBPS Aspirants,

The journey to banking is not easy, but it’s definitely worth it. I failed in my first attempt, but that failure taught me what success couldn’t have.

Here are my final words:

Success Formula:

Consistency + Hard Work + Smart Strategy + Positive Attitude = Success

Remember:

• Every topper was once a beginner
• Every expert was once a failure
• Every success story has chapters of struggle

Your journey might be different from mine, but these principles remain same:

1. Be consistent (show up every day)
2. Work on weak areas (not just strong areas)
3. Give 100% in mocks and analysis
4. Stay positive (bad days don’t mean bad life)
5. Believe in yourself (you’re capable of more than you think)

My Request: When you become a banker (not IF, but WHEN), remember:

• Help people genuinely
• Maintain integrity
• Serve with dedication
• Make your parents proud

I’m living my dream today. Soon, you’ll be living yours too!

All the best! Stay motivated, stay focused, and keep working hard!

With love and best wishes, Priya Sharma IBPS PO 2023 - All India Rank 1 Assistant Manager, State Bank of India”

📚 Resources Mentioned by Priya

Books:

• IBPS Formula Sheet
• Shortcuts & Tricks

Study Materials:

• Data Interpretation - Complete Theory
• Puzzles & Seating Arrangement
• Reading Comprehension

Banking Awareness:

• Banking Terms Glossary
• RBI Functions & Policies
• Important Banking Dates

Study Plans:

• 30-Day IBPS PO Study Plan

Get inspired and start your IBPS journey today! Success awaits you! 🏆