The SBI PO exam is a well-reputed exam in our country and many talented candidates appear for it every year with hopes of bagging the respectable position of an SBI Probationary Officer. The reason for this is that this position has a lot of perks and a great reputation in the banking community.
If you are also planning to appear for the exam with your eyes set on becoming a Probationary Officer then you must understand a few things beforehand. Presence of mind, focus, accuracy, and talent are a few things required to crack the exam. However, talented individuals may also lose out during the exam if they make a few common mistakes during the preparation as well as in the exam. To refrain from these mistakes, it is essential that you identify these mistakes and then make sure that you avoid them at all costs.
During the preparation
- Not having all the essentials ready beforehand
To have everything ready to go in a bag at least two weeks before the date of the exam is the perfect way to avoid any last-minute chaos. So check everything you will need on the day of the exam like documents, stationery, admit card and keep it ready in a safe place. The admit card is an extremely important requirement for the exam so never misplace it at any cost. See more to understand the latest guidelines on exams and mock papers.
- Not following a timetable
A timetable helps you to stay focused and organized for the exam. it ensures that you tick all the important boxes and go through every essential study material during the preparation. Without a timetable, you will likely find yourself perplexed about how to start, what to study next, what you have left, etc. So always make a timetable and stick to it.
- Not having a section-wise strategy
The SBI PO preliminary exam is divided into three sections namely, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Language. Each of these sections requires a different strategy to ace them. Therefore approach these sections’ preparations accordingly. You can refer to expert videos, toppers’ advice to make the ideal preparation strategy for each of these sections.
- Not giving enough mock tests
Mock tests are your holy grail to ace the SBI PO exam. If you utilize them to your advantage, there is no way you cannot pass the exam. You must give weekly mock tests as you begin your preparations months before the exam. However as your exam approaches closer, your intensity of giving mock tests must increase and you should be giving mock tests daily if you have finished your syllabus.
- Not analyzing the mock tests
The gravest mistake an SBI PO exam candidate can do is not analyzing their mock tests with a keen eye. No matter how many mock tests you give, if you do not gauge your progress and mistakes through them, they won’t be helpful for your examination in any way. Now one may ask how do they analyze their mock tests correctly. One mock test will take about an hour for you to complete, given that you did not take any breaks in between. And you should not be taking any breaks while giving the mock tests or else you would not be able to understand your correct speed for the exam. After completing the mock test, scrutinize every given question and its solution. You must also look at the questions you got correct. Ask yourself, did you know that question perfectly or was it just a lucky guess? Also, analyze the wrong questions and see why you got them wrong and what you need to improve to get them correct. Lastly, go over the questions that you left unattempted. See what concepts you lacked understanding of and had to leave the question for. This should take a good couple of hours for you. Note down every detail from your analysis and go back to your books and see what needs to be studied and practiced again.
- Not preparing for the main exam simultaneously
Another common mistake students do is not preparing for the Main exam along with the prelim preparation. The Main exam happens shortly after the prelims and you won’t get much time to prepare for it after the prelims. So go over current affairs, newspapers, videos that have all the current affairs and banking news collected for SBI PO aspirants daily for at least 45 minutes. The General Awareness section might make or break it for you in the final result.
During the exam
- Starting from difficult questions
Do not waste time in the exam by beginning from the difficult questions. Go over the questions that you are perfectly sure of and get them out of the way so that you reach the cut-off at least. After that, if you have time you can see if you will be able to solve the seemingly difficult questions.
- Attempting doubtful questions
Never make guesses in the SBI PO exam. you will lose 0.25 marks on every wrong answer and hence stay away from making wild guesses in your exam thinking that you might score more. The main aim for you in the prelims should be to pass the cut-off so that you qualify for the mains.
- Not keeping an eye on the time
Don’t get lost focusing only on certain questions and lose valuable time. Keep a strict watch on the time and if you are spending over a minute on one question, skip it and move on to the next one. Time is of great essence in the SBI PO exam.
- Not reviewing the answer sheet
Make sure you get enough time to review the answer sheet at least once. There might be questions you know that you have missed in a hurry.
- Letting exam anxiety get to you
Students often let exam anxiety get to them as they sit for beginning the exam. This can mess with their cognitive abilities and make them lose focus in the exam. Trust your preparation and approach the exam in a composed manner, keeping a calm demeanor.
The SBI PO exam is definitely a tricky feat to crack. However, it certainly is not impossible and extraordinarily difficult. You need to be cautious with your preparation strategy and avoid making the common mistake mentioned here and you can crack the exam in one attempt. And when you do so, do not forget to thank us!
