IBPS PO Previous Year Question Paper with Answers PDF: Quick Answer
The honest answer first: IBPS does not publish official previous year question papers. What exists are memory-based papers, reconstructed from what candidates remember after the exam, and compilations of those papers as PDFs by preparation sites. On this site you can attempt two playable memory-based papers from the IBPS PO 2025 Prelims, 23 and 24 August 2025, Shift 1, with 100 questions each and answers. There are no official IBPS PO papers on this site, because IBPS does not release them, and any page that calls a memory-based paper "official" is overstating what it is. As of 7 November 2026, no memory-based paper from the 2026 cycle has been added here yet; the 2026 Prelims were held on 22 and 23 August 2026 and the Mains on 4 October 2026.
If you want papers to practise on right now, start with the two 2025 memory-based Prelims papers below, then move to the full-length Prelims and Mains mock tests on this site, which follow the current pattern. Read the section on how to use memory-based papers before you compare your score with anyone else's, because the scoring changed in 2026 and old papers do not use the new marks.
What IBPS Releases and What It Does Not
IBPS publishes the notification, the admit cards, the results, the scorecards and the cut-off marks for each stage. It does not publish the question papers or the answer keys. That is different from SSC, which does release question papers with answer keys, and it is the single biggest reason IBPS PO preparation depends on memory-based papers.
A memory-based paper is put together after the exam from questions candidates recall. The strong parts are usually the reasoning puzzles, the data interpretation sets and the distinctive English questions, because candidates remember those. The weak parts are exact wording, the order of questions and sometimes one or two options. Treat a memory-based paper as a very good reconstruction, not as a photocopy of the paper. When two compilations of the same shift disagree on a question, neither is automatically right; check the explanation against the concept, not against the source's confidence.
The other thing IBPS does publish, and which matters more than most candidates realise, is the "Process for Arriving at Scores" document released with the scorecards. That document carries the official cut-off marks for the stage. It is the only authoritative source for cut-offs; everything else is a report of it.
IBPS PO Previous Year Papers You Can Attempt on This Site
| Paper | Date and shift | Questions | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBPS PO 2025 Prelims Memory-Based Paper, 23 August, Shift 1 | 23 August 2025, Shift 1 (9:00 AM) | 100 | Memory-based, with answers |
| IBPS PO 2025 Prelims Memory-Based Paper, 24 August, Shift 1 | 24 August 2025, Shift 1 | 100 | Memory-based, with answers |
Both papers carry 100 questions in 60 minutes, matching the Prelims format: English Language 30, Quantitative Aptitude 35 and Reasoning Ability 35. They are labelled memory-based in their own metadata, and this page labels them the same way. They are the only IBPS PO previous-year papers on this site as of 7 November 2026. There are no Mains memory-based papers here yet, and no paper from any earlier cycle. If you need Mains practice in the current pattern, use the Mains sectional mock tests linked at the end of this page; they are practice papers built to the 2026 pattern, not previous-year papers, and they are labelled as practice.
IBPS PO Previous Year Papers Year by Year
| Cycle | Prelims | Mains | What is available |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (CRP PO/MT-XVI) | 22–23 August 2026 | 4 October 2026 | No paper on this site yet. Memory-based compilations exist on preparation sites as third-party PDFs; they were not opened or verified for this page. |
| 2025 (CRP PO/MT-XV) | 23–24 August 2025 | 12 October 2025 | Two memory-based Prelims papers on this site (above). Mains memory-based compilations exist only as third-party PDFs. |
| 2024 (CRP PO/MT-XIV) | October 2024 | November 2024 | No paper on this site. Memory-based compilations circulate as third-party PDFs. |
| 2023 and earlier | Held each year | Held each year | No papers on this site. Older memory-based compilations circulate as third-party PDFs, and their quality varies more the older they get. |
Two warnings about the year-wise picture. First, several preparation sites label their compilations with the year the result came out rather than the year the exam was held, so a paper marked "2024" on one site can be the 2023 exam. Check the exam date and shift on the paper itself, not just the headline. Second, the pattern changed in 2026, so a 2025 paper and a 2026 paper are not scored the same way even though both have 100 Prelims questions. The next section explains the change, because it decides how you should read your score.
IBPS PO Prelims and Mains Pattern: What the Papers Test
Prelims pattern from 2026
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
The 2026 notification (CRP PO/MT-XVI, dated 30 June 2026) kept the question counts but changed the marks: each English question is worth 1 mark, each Quant question about 0.86 mark and each Reasoning question about 1.14 marks. A wrong answer costs 0.25 of the marks assigned to that question. You must clear the cut-off in every section, and Prelims marks do not count in the final merit. The full pattern, with a worked scoring example, is in the IBPS PO syllabus and exam pattern note.
Prelims pattern before 2026
Before 2026, each Prelims question carried 1 mark: English 30, Quant 35, Reasoning 35, total 100 marks. That is the scoring the 2025 memory-based papers on this site use. A score of 55 on a 2025 paper and a score of 55 on a 2026-pattern paper are not the same achievement, because Reasoning is now worth more per question. Compare your sectional accuracy (questions right out of questions attempted) across years, not just the total.
Mains pattern from 2026
| Test | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| General / Economy / Banking / Digital / Financial Awareness, including RBI circulars | 50 | 60 | 35 minutes |
| English Language | 40 | 20 | 35 minutes |
| Data Analysis and Interpretation | 40 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Objective total | 170 | 200 | 160 minutes |
| Descriptive Paper (Essay and Comprehension) | 2 | 25 | 30 minutes |
The Mains total is still 225 marks (200 objective + 25 descriptive), so Mains cut-offs from earlier cycles remain roughly comparable in total, but the section structure is new: the old Reasoning and Computer Aptitude test is now just Reasoning, and computer awareness has moved into the Digital Awareness part of the General Awareness test. You must clear a minimum score in each Mains test and a minimum total. Only Mains marks decide shortlisting for the personality test and interview. The interview carries 100 marks, and final merit is Mains and interview in the ratio 80:20.
Mains pattern before 2026
The earlier Mains had 155 objective questions for 200 marks plus the 25-mark descriptive paper: Reasoning and Computer Aptitude 60, General / Economy / Banking Awareness 40, English Language 40, Data Analysis and Interpretation 60. If you practise from an older Mains compilation, expect the old section names and the old question counts, and do not expect a Digital Awareness section.
How to Use Memory-Based Papers Without Fooling Yourself
Attempt them timed, in one sitting, with the sectional timers. A memory-based paper only teaches you exam temperament if you take it the way the real exam runs: 20 minutes per Prelims section, no pausing, no looking up a formula mid-section. If you take it untimed, the score tells you about your knowledge, not about your readiness.
Score sectional accuracy, not just the total. IBPS applies sectional cut-offs in both Prelims and Mains, so a paper where you score 60 overall but fail one section is a failed paper. After each attempt, write down three numbers per section: attempted, right and wrong. The wrong count matters more than the right count in a 0.25-negative-marking exam, and it is where most improvement comes from.
Review every wrong answer the same day, from the concept. Memory-based answers are sometimes wrong. If an explanation looks doubtful, work the question from first principles or check a standard source before accepting it. A wrong memorised answer is worse than no answer, because it survives into the real exam.
Do not rank yourself against other candidates' claimed scores. Memory-based papers circulate with claimed cut-offs, claimed "good attempts" and claimed scores from strangers. None of those is verified, and the 2026 marks change makes cross-year comparisons meaningless anyway. The only verified benchmark is the official cut-off released with the scorecards, covered in the IBPS PO cut off 2026 note.
Use old papers for question types, new mocks for the current pattern. The 2025 papers show you what IBPS actually asked: the puzzle styles, the DI formats, the English question types. The current-pattern mock tests show you how the 2026 marks and the new Mains sections change your time allocation. You need both, and neither replaces the other.
Third-Party PDF Collections: What to Check Before You Trust One
Most IBPS PO previous year papers on the internet are PDF compilations by preparation sites such as Adda247, Testbook and PracticeMock. They are third-party documents, not IBPS publications. None of them was opened or verified for this page, so this page does not vouch for any particular PDF. Before you rely on one, check four things: the cycle and shift printed on the paper itself; whether it is labelled memory-based or presented as something it is not; whether the answers come with explanations or are bare keys; and whether the question counts match the pattern of that year (100 for Prelims, 155 objective before 2026 and 170 from 2026 for Mains). A PDF that fails any of those checks is still usable for practice, but do not treat its keys as final.
Be especially careful with PDFs that promise "all shifts" in one file. Shifts differ, and a compilation that merges shifts without labelling them will show you the same question twice with different numbers, or two different questions presented as one. Attempt one shift at a time, and keep a note of which shift each attempt was.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does IBPS release official IBPS PO previous year question papers?
No. IBPS does not publish question papers or answer keys for the PO exam. The papers available anywhere are memory-based reconstructions or compilations of them. This site labels its two 2025 papers as memory-based, and you should distrust any source that calls an IBPS PO paper "official" without showing an IBPS publication.
Are memory-based papers reliable enough to practise on?
Yes, for question types, difficulty and timing. They are less reliable for exact wording and for one or two answers per paper. Use them timed, review wrong answers from the concept, and do not treat a memory-based key as final when it conflicts with a standard result.
Which year should I start with?
Start with the most recent paper you can attempt under timed conditions, which on this site is the 2025 Prelims. Then work backwards one cycle at a time for question-type coverage, and finish with current-pattern mock tests so the 2026 marks and Mains sections are fresh.
Are there IBPS PO Mains previous year papers on this site?
Not yet, as of 7 November 2026. The Mains practice available here is sectional mock tests built to the 2026 pattern, labelled as practice. Mains memory-based compilations exist as third-party PDFs, with the cautions given above.
How are the 2025 papers on this site scored?
At 1 mark per question, the pattern that applied in 2025, with 0.25 negative marking. The 2026 Prelims weights Reasoning questions more heavily, so do not compare a 2025 total directly with a 2026-pattern total. Compare sectional accuracy instead.
When will 2026 papers appear here?
Only when a memory-based paper for the 2026 cycle has been checked question by question and labelled honestly. No date is promised. The 2026 Prelims were held on 22 and 23 August 2026 and the Mains on 4 October 2026, and the Mains result was still awaited as of 7 November 2026.
Related Notes and Mock Tests
Related notes: IBPS PO syllabus and exam pattern, IBPS PO cut off 2026, IBPS PO eligibility and age limit 2026, IBPS PO salary 2026.
Related mock tests: IBPS PO Prelims Full Mock Test 01, IBPS PO Mains Data Analysis and Interpretation Sectional Mock Test 01, IBPS PO Mains Banking Awareness Mock Test 01.
Sources: IBPS PO syllabus note on this site, citing the CRP PO/MT-XVI notification dated 30 June 2026; the two memory-based test files' own metadata (paperType memory-based, isPYP true, exam dates 23 and 24 August 2025); PracticeMock IBPS PO exam pattern 2026 and Adda247 IBPS PO cut-off pages for cycle dates and the pre-2026 pattern, as reported. No IBPS question paper or answer key was read directly, because IBPS does not publish them. Last checked 7 November 2026.