Trends in GK Questions in IBPS and SBI PO Exams TCYonline Blog

Trends in GK Questions in IBPS and SBI PO Exams

This article will provide a quick view over the type of questions asked in previous year exams. This will help the students to have an insight as to what to expect in the final exam.

This section tests the general awareness of students regarding the current happenings at the national aswell as international level along with some static knowledge. In other words, there is a wide range of topicsthat come under its purview.

The questions in such exams are mostly related to topics such as Banking, and Economy (both static and current affairs), while other topics such as Sports, Awards and Honours, Personalities, etc. are also covered.

It should be noted that the questions are only 2-3 months old for current affairs. Students cannot miss to know the latest events, as many times the questions have been asked from the events held only 15 days prior to the exam date.

The numbers of static GK questions and current GK questions vary. Usually, the number of static GK questions is about 23-25, while that of current GK questions is 16-18.

The below mentioned table will help to analyse the type of questions asked in the exams. It will also help to draw comparisons between both the exams, thereby aiding the students to determine their preparation strategies.

IBPS PO (2016-18) Analysis

SBI PO (2016-18) Analysis

Static

Topic

No. of Questions

Type of Questions

No of Questions

Type of Questions

General Geography

2-3

Dams, National Parks, Stadiums

1-5

Thermal Power Plant, Census, Dam, National park, Cricket Stadium,

Headquarters

2-3

National and International Organisations

1-2

Banks, National Organisations

Banking Awareness

8-12

CRR, Liquidity, Types of Banks, Types of Accounts, Types of Risks, RBI, Committees and Recommendations, Definitions, Banking Ombudsman, etc.

4-10

Mudra Yojana, Small Finance Banks, Types of Bank Accounts, Money Market Instruments, Types of Cheques, Norms of RBI, UPI, Repo Rate, Types of Risk, National Financial Switch, Payments Banks, NBFC, RBI, Negotiable Instruments Act, RRBs.

General Economy

3-7

Definitions, Demonetisation, Export Financing, Government Schemes, World Economic Outlook, etc.

1-2

Definitions, Derivatives, World Reports

Capitals

1-2

National and International Capitals

0-1

National and International Capitals

Books and Authors

1-2

Usually Indian Authors

1-2

Usually Indian Authors

Art and Culture

1-2

Folk Dances, Festivals, etc.

0-1

Folk Dances, Festivals, etc.

Days and Dates

1-2

National and International Events

0-1

National and International Events

Personalities

0-1

Sports, First in Lists, etc.

1-2

Sports, First in Lists, etc.

Awards and Honours

0-1

National and International Awards

1-2

National and International Awards

Abbreviations

2-3

Banking and Economy Related

3-4

Banking and Economy

Current

Awards and Honours

2-3

National and International Awards

0-1

National and International Awards

Important Events

2-3

International Summits and Other Events

1-3

International Summits and Other Events

Persons in News

2-3

Obituaries, Appointments

3-4

Appointments, Committee Heads, Obituaries, etc.

Banking Awareness

5-8

RBI Directions and Recommendations, Committees and Its Heads, Banks in News, Bank Policies, App Launches, Agreements, Acquisition and Merging, Monetary Policy, etc.

5-8

Bank in News (Agreements), Technology, Mobile Banking, Mergers and Acquisitions, Changes
in Banking Sector, Payments Bank, Digital Transactions, RBI Directions, App, Rules of NPCI, etc

General Economy

7- 15 (Highly Variable)

Budget, Government Schemes - Both Central and State, Fiscal Policies, World Reports, GST, Technology, International Banks, World Rankings, etc.

9-12

International Organisations (Forecast/ Classification), Loans from International Organisations, Ranking, Growth of Economy, Business, Government Schemes, Economic Forums, Economic Survey, Cess, Fiscal Deficit, GST, Base Year Updation, GOI Approval, Reports, Target for Agriculture, Index,
Growth Projection, Budget, Commemorative Coins, Investment, Prices, Currency Note, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code

Places in News

3-6

Typhoon, International Airports, etc.

0-1

Cyclones, etc.

Defence

1-2

Defence Exercises

0-1

Military Exercises

Sports

2-3

International and National

0-1

International and National

Politics in Relation to Banking

1-2

Electoral Bonds, etc.

0-1

Electoral Bonds, etc.

Environment

1-2

National Mission for Clean Ganga, etc.

0-1

Recycling Units

Inference:

In IBPS PO exam, the number of static and current GK questions varied widely. However, it is not so in SBI PO exam; the number of static and current GK questions is almost the same.

As in IBPS PO exam 2017, the number of static GK questions was quite less as compared to current affairs questions, the candidates must keep in mind to be well versed with the current happenings around the world.

Static Banking and General Economy questions hold high relevance in the exam. They must be prepared thoroughly.

Government schemes, both state and central, are emphasised upon. Factual (numeric based data) type questions were also asked in the exams.

Many current affair questions were asked from Budget for the particular year.

Almost every exam had 3-4 abbreviations.

Apart from specific events (both national and international), other questions related to international events were almost negligible in number. However, a few questions on National Affairs were asked.

The number of questions related to General Geography and Banking Awareness (static) in SBI PO exam was highly variable.

The number of questions related to General Economy in IBPS PO exam (both static and current) was highly variable.