How to Prepare Topic Wise With SBI PO Mock Test

Many aspirants of SBI PO take mock after mock and feel that their performance is not improving. Their score keeps going up and down but never improves.

In most cases, this is not due to any lack of effort but rather due to improper approach. Taking multiple mocks without doing anything about identified problems is like taking laps of running without improving the strength of weak muscles.

Instead of doing so, they should go topic wise and identify the weak topics.

Here are steps to prepare topic-wise for SBI PO using mock tests.

Why Topic Wise is Superior to Random Full Mock Tests

When one takes a full mock test, the feedback received is in form of score. This score alone does not indicate anything.

Preparing topic wise, on the other hand, involves focusing on what exactly one's weak topics are and improving them. This will move one's score much faster than doing multiple full mocks.

Start with Diagnostic Mock Test

One must diagnose one's weak topics first.

To do so, one needs to take one complete SBI PO Mock Test under timed conditions. That is, 100 questions in 60 minutes with 20 minutes locked per section.

After that one should carefully study the topic level feedback given by the report.

Identify in which topics most of the marks were lost and in which ones most time was spent.

This report will become one's complete topic-wise plan for free.

Mapping Topics in Each Section

Topic wise preparation requires that one knows about the topics.

Here is the list of topics in SBI PO Prelims examination:

Quantitative Aptitude

• Data Interpretation (Tables, Bar, Pie, Caselets)

• Simplification and Approximation

• Number Series

• Quadratic Equations

• Arithmetic (Percentage, Ratio, Profit and Loss, Time Speed Distance, Time Work, Average, Mixtures, Simple Interest/Compound Interest)

Reasoning Ability

• Puzzles and Seating Arrangements

• Syllogism

• Inequality

• Coding Decoding

• Blood Relation & Direction Sense

• Order & Ranking, Alphanumeric Series

English Language

• Reading Comprehension

• Cloze Test

• Error Spotting and Sentence Improvement

• Para Jumbles

• Fillers & Word Usage

Topic Wise Preparation Loop

This is the core of the whole process.

One needs to perform this loop for each weak topic found in one's topic report.

• Diagnose the weak topic from one's mock report.

• Learn/concept revision for this particular topic.

• Practice drills for this topic till accuracy becomes stable.

• Take sectional or topic test to verify the improvement.

• Take mock test to see how the topic holds under pressure.

By fixing one topic and proving the improvement of its skills, one will see a gradual improvement of one's score and not just random variations.

Prioritize High Weight and Quick Wins First

Not every topic needs the same amount of time and energy.

Prioritizing topics will make the process faster:

• Quick wins are those which require little time and give high accuracy - Simplification, Approximation, Number Series, Inequality, Syllogism, Coding-Decoding.

• High weight topics are those which require a lot of time and provide many marks - Data Interpretation, Puzzles, Seating Arrangements, Reading Comprehension.

• Leave other topics for later as they are not worth the time spent.

One should take care of quick wins and build the high weight topics.

Tracking Each Topic and Keeping Notes

Topic wise preparation requires remembering about the progress made in each topic over a period of weeks.

For this purpose, one should maintain a simple record of one's progress per topic - accuracy, time and mistakes made.

Maintaining topic-specific notes while solving the papers is extremely useful during topic wise preparation.

As one writes such notes for board papers while studying, one can do the same for the mocks as well.

Return to Full Mocks to Integrate Skills

Topic wise preparation is very powerful but one cannot do it all the time.

In the final test, all topics are given together and under one clock.

Therefore, after topic preparation for some time, one should return to full mock tests from time to time.

These tests check something that topic tests cannot - one's switching skills between topics, managing 20 minute sections and maintaining accuracy with 0.25 marks deducted for wrong answers.

Calibrate with Previous Year Papers

Mocks provide feedback about the weak topics of the moment but previous year papers will tell which topics actually appeared the most.

Every couple of weeks, one should try SBI PO Previous Year Question Paper and memory based papers.

This will tell one about the topics appearing again and again and in what way they appear.

A Realistic Example

For example, let us consider an aspirant with current score of 46.

In her diagnostic mock, she finds that she lost most of the marks in Puzzles, Data Interpretation and Para Jumbles.

She takes a few days working on puzzles and drilling them.

Then takes Reasoning section test and finds that puzzle accuracy improved.

Repeats the procedure for DI and Para Jumbles.

After two weeks, her full mock test shows that these three topics are no longer weak and her score becomes 57.

Same number of hours - but now it is aimed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Taking only mocks and not fixing the weak topics revealed by mocks.

• Learning topics in which one already excels just because it is easier.

• Spending too much time on topic wise preparation and forgetting about full mocks.

• Ignoring the topic report and guessing what topics to study.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to study topic wise for SBI PO?

Take diagnostic mock test, read topic report and improve one topic at a time with drills and sectional tests before returning to full mocks.

Should I take sectional or full mocks?

Both. Sectional/topic tests develop individual topics while full mocks test integration of them.

Which topics are most important in Prelims?

High weight ones like Data Interpretation, Puzzles, Seating Arrangements and Reading Comprehension and quick wins like Simplification and Syllogism.

How do I know my weak topics?

My mock test report provides me accuracy and time spent on each topic. That is my priority list.

How long should I spend on one topic?

Till my accuracy becomes stable in sectional test. Then move on and return if needed.

Is there any use of previous year papers in topic wise preparation?

Yes. They will tell about recurring topics and how they appear.

Conclusion

Mocks test one's current level while topic-wise preparation makes one better.

Those aspirants who score highest in the exams use mock test report as a map - diagnosing weak topics, fixing them one at a time and integrating into full mock tests.