SBI PO Mains: When Was Reasoning the Ultimate Challenge?

The SBI PO Mains exam of 2023 made headlines as the Reasoning and Computer Aptitude section turned out to be the hardest part. Although the paper was overall moderate, the Reasoning section stood out for its tricky question types. These questions needed quick thinking and smart analysis, which caught many students by surprise.

What made the 2023 Reasoning section more difficult?

This section had 40 questions, and most of them were tough puzzles and seating arrangements. Candidates had to deal with complex seating patterns linked with blood relations, puzzles combining countries, states and languages, and machine input-output problems with multiple conditions. Solving these needed a lot of focus and time, unlike the simpler patterns seen in previous years.

How did the tough Reasoning section affect candidates performance

The tough puzzles made time management harder. As per feedback shared by aspirants, many couldn’t attempt enough questions in all sections. Several failed to clear the Reasoning cutoff, and the lengthy puzzles caused extra stress. This showed how important it is to plan timing better during the exam.

Compared to the last five years, the 2023 Reasoning section was more balanced. In 2019, it was very hard with 22 puzzles 17 of them were extremely difficult leaving students with just 14-16 attempts in one hour. In 2020, caselet and logic-computer questions made the section moderately hard. The 2021 paper was the toughest, packed with non-stop puzzles. In 2022, it became a mix of puzzles and machine-based sets, still on the tough side. The 2023 paper, while challenging, had a more steady pattern and was slightly easier than the 2021 paper.

What should aspirants learn from the Reasoning challenges?

Candidates must focus on practicing puzzles with multiple layers and seating questions. Solving easier puzzles first can help score better. Regular practice of input-output and logical reasoning will improve speed and accuracy. Adding timed mock tests to the study plan will boost time control and help manage pressure during the exam.

What free resources can help with SBI PO Reasoning preparation?

Candidates can download the SBI PO Mains 2023 Memory Based Paper PDF from Bankersadda to try real exam questions. Bankersadda also shares previous year papers for detailed practice we also provide free memory-based PDF for bank exams like SBI PO. Adda247 offers free online mock tests as per the latest pattern.