Physics Wallah

IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam Analysis 2026, 11 October Shift 2, Difficulty Level, Good Attempts & Questions Asked

IBPS Clerk Prelims Shift 2 examination recorded an overall difficulty level of Easy to Moderate. Reasoning Ability and Quantitative Aptitude were highly scoring, allowing over 30 attempts each. English Language presented moderate difficulty due to inferential questions and tricky options. Overall good attempts range between 75 and 80 questions with high accuracy.

authorImageNazish Fatima12 Oct, 2026
IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam Analysis 2026, 11 October Shift 2

 

IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam Analysis 2026, 11 October Shift 2:IBPS Clerk Prelims 2026 Shift 2 paper featured standard question formats across all three sections. Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability maintained high scoring potential, while English Language required careful reading to navigate nuanced choices.

Understanding the sectional weightage, question patterns, and expected safe attempts helps candidates evaluate their performance and plan Mains preparation.

IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 11 October Shift 2 Overall Difficulty Level

The second shift of the examination stood at an Easy to Moderate difficulty level.

  • Quantitative Aptitude: Highly accessible and scoring, allowing candidates to achieve 30+ attempts easily.

  • Reasoning Ability: Standard puzzle setups and direct miscellaneous questions supported high attempt rates.

  • English Language: Moderately tricky with confusing option choices, requiring contextual comprehension.

IBPS Clerk Prelims English Language 11 October Shift 2 Difficulty Level

The English Language section comprised 30 questions. While the core reading material was accessible, candidates faced ambiguity in vocabulary-based eliminative choices.

Topic-Wise Distribution

  • Reading Comprehension (8–10 Questions):

  • Theme: Trade, barter systems, and exchanging items for food.

  • Question Types: Heavily inferential and indirect, featuring vocabulary checks involving contextual differences between terms such as Trade, Exchange, and Bargain.

  • Cloze Test (6–7 Questions): Based on a standard, straightforward thematic narrative.

  • Para Jumbles: Present in the section, replacing standalone sentence rearrangements.

  • Spelling Errors (2–3 Questions): Direct identification of incorrectly spelled terms.

  • Word Swap / Word Usage (1–2 Questions): Contextual interchange of words.

  • Excluded Topics: Single/Double Fillers, Column-based matching, Phrase Replacement, and standard Error Detection were absent or minimally reported.

Shift Comparison For English Language

Parameter Shift 1 Shift 2
Reading Comprehension Direct, high clarity Tricky, indirect with confusing answer options
Sentence Ordering Mixed sentence rearrangements Standard Para Jumbles
Overall Difficulty Easy Moderate / Tricky

IBPS Clerk Prelims Reasoning Ability 11 October Shift 2 Difficulty Level

The Reasoning section contained 35 questions. Standard practice routines enabled candidates to target 30+ attempts.

Puzzle And Seating Arrangement (18 Marks Total)

  • Month and Date Puzzle (5 Questions): Setup of 4 Months and 2 Dates (such as 19th and 20th). Solvable within 1.5 to 2 minutes using two primary cases based on even/odd days and months.

  • Box-Based Puzzle (5 Questions): Required arranging 8 distinct boxes.

  • Floor-Based Puzzle (5 Questions): Single-variable arrangement across 8 floors (1 to 8).

  • Uncertain Linear Seating Arrangement (3 Questions): Required placing a low total candidate count (7 to 8 persons in the finalized row).

Miscellaneous Reasoning Topics

  • Syllogism (4 Questions): Direct, standard syllogistic statements.

  • Inequalities (3 Questions): Single-liner statements, solvable directly on-screen in roughly 10 seconds per question.

  • Blood Relations (3 Questions): Straightforward family tree deduction without extensive rough work.

  • Alphanumeric / Alphabetical Series (5 Questions): Based on sets of three-letter words (5 words given). One specific question featured complex phrasing that required careful time allocation.

  • Number Operations / Pair Counting (1 Question): Required identifying forward and backward digit pairs (4 pairs identified).

  • Miscellaneous Singletons (2 Questions): Meaningful English word formation and Odd-One-Out word identification.

IBPS Clerk Prelims Quantitative Aptitude 11 October Shift 2 Difficulty Level

Quantitative Aptitude was characterized by high scoring potential and standard calculation difficulty. A candidate with adequate preparation could complete 30 to 32+ questions with high accuracy.

Data Interpretation And Calculation

  • Simplification (10 Questions): Placed predominantly toward the end of the section, with approximately 2 questions featuring decimals and square root calculations.

  • Data Interpretation (10 Questions across 2 Sets):

  • Set 1: Graph-based DI.

  • Set 2: Tabular DI.

  • Operations Tested: Fundamental percentage calculations, standard ratios, addition, and subtraction.

  • Caselet DI (5 Questions): Data set organized entirely around percentage distributions.

Shift-Wise Weightage Dynamics In Quant

When a Caselet DI (5 questions) is introduced into a shift, standard Number Series questions are omitted or reduced, keeping the structural balance of the 35-mark section intact.

Arithmetic Word Problems (10 Questions)

Direct, formula-oriented questions covering core arithmetic topics:

  • Boats and Streams: Direct application of speed and stream formulas.

  • Mensuration: Area and perimeter calculation involving total cost estimation.

  • Percentage & Profit/Loss: Remaining value and fraction tracking.

  • Partnership & Ages: Standard ratio and time-interval applications.

  • Pipes and Cisterns: Direct work and time efficiency ratios.

(Note: Permutation, Combination, Probability, and dedicated train motion questions were absent.)

IBPS Clerk Prelims Normalization And Strategic Summary

  • Good Attempts Range: An overall attempt between 75 to 80+ questions with high accuracy represents a solid performance benchmark.

  • Impact of Normalization: Shifts encountering tricky options (such as the Shift 2 English section) benefit from standard score normalization, meaning raw attempt counts should not cause concern if accuracy is maintained.

  • Actionable Next Steps: Candidates achieving consistent attempts should start their Mains examination preparation immediately.

Also Check:

 

IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam Analysis 2026, 11 October Shift 2 FAQs

Q1. What was the overall difficulty level of IBPS Clerk Prelims Shift 2?

The overall difficulty level for Shift 2 was Easy to Moderate, with Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability being easily approachable and English Language being slightly tricky.

Q2. How many puzzle questions appeared in the Reasoning Ability section?

A total of 18 marks were allocated to Puzzles and Seating Arrangements, covering Month and Date, Box-based, Floor-based, and Uncertain Linear arrangements.

Q3. Were Number Series questions included in Quantitative Aptitude for Shift 2?

No, standard Number Series questions were omitted because a 5-question Caselet DI based on percentage distributions was included in this shift.

Q4. What made the English Language section challenging in this shift?

The Reading Comprehension questions were indirect and inferential, accompanied by confusing option choices that tested contextual vocabulary nuances like Trade, Exchange, and Bargain.

Q5. What is considered a safe attempt range for Shift 2?

An overall attempt range of 75 to 80+ questions with high accuracy is considered a strong benchmark for clearing the preliminary stage.
Popup Close ImagePopup Open Image

Have questions about your prep?

Our experts can answer all your questions
Have questions about your prep?
Join 15 Million students on the app today!
Point IconLive & recorded classes available at ease
Point IconDashboard for progress tracking
Point IconLakhs of practice questions
Download ButtonDownload Button
Banner Image
Banner Image
Free Learning Resources
Know about Physics Wallah
Physics Wallah is an Indian edtech platform that provides accessible & comprehensive learning experiences to students from Class 6th to postgraduate level. We also provide extensive NCERT solutions, sample paper, NEET, JEE Mains, BITSAT previous year papers & more such resources to students. Physics Wallah also caters to over 3.5 million registered students and over 78 lakh+ Youtube subscribers with 4.8 rating on its app.
We Stand Out because
We provide students with intensive courses with India’s qualified & experienced faculties & mentors. PW strives to make the learning experience comprehensive and accessible for students of all sections of society. We believe in empowering every single student who couldn't dream of a good career in engineering and medical field earlier.
Our Key Focus Areas
Physics Wallah's main focus is to make the learning experience as economical as possible for all students. With our affordable courses like Lakshya, Udaan and Arjuna and many others, we have been able to provide a platform for lakhs of aspirants. From providing Chemistry, Maths, Physics formula to giving e-books of eminent authors like RD Sharma, RS Aggarwal and Lakhmir Singh, PW focuses on every single student's need for preparation.
What Makes Us Different
Physics Wallah strives to develop a comprehensive pedagogical structure for students, where they get a state-of-the-art learning experience with study material and resources. Apart from catering students preparing for JEE Mains and NEET, PW also provides study material for each state board like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and others

Copyright © 2026 Physicswallah Limited All rights reserved.