Success Story : HemaKumar.P (IBPS Clerk 2017

4D's of success Desire, Determination, Discipline, Dedication

Hi everyone,

This is HemaKumar.P from Tamilnadu. I finished my graduation in mechanical engineering in 2013, I searched job in my core sector for a year. I started preparing for Bank exams from April 2014.
My first exam was SBI clerk, i prepared that exam without knowing the syllabus.I attempted questions whatever came on the screen,at the end I failed miserably. keeping the my past mistake as an example, i prepared according to the syllabus and cleared my basics.

My exam attempts -

SBI CLERK 2014 (scored 101)
RRB PO 2014 (scored 91.5)
RRB CLERKS 2014 (scored 155)
IBPS PO 2014 (not selected for interview)
IBPS CLERKS 2014 (went to interview but not secured a seat ,56.40/100)
In 2015 pattern changed prelims introduced
RBI ASSISTANT (scored 126.5)
IBPS PO (CWE+ INTERVIEW -43.7)
UIICL
RRB PO
IBPS CLERK 2015 cleared overall cutoff but failed in Reasoning sectional cutoff by .5marks
In 2016
IBPS PO couldn't cleared Mains
SBI CLERK -116 (Missed by 1mark)
Repco 2016- 166
Railway RRB 79.31/120
RRB CLERKS 2016 - 64.13 (Selected in Pallavan Grama Bank)
IBPS CLERKS secured overall cutoff
Cutoff required 39.82
I scored 43.625, but failed to secure sectional cutoff.

As i cleared RRB clerks,Finally i joined as OFFICE ASSISTANT in Pallavan Grama Bank on 03/04/2017. Initially i started my banking preparation to get into Indian Bank, but i ended up working in the RRB. I didn't stop writing the exams.I appeared for following exams -

SBI PO 2017 failed in prelims
IBPS PO 2017 failed in prelims
RRB PO 2017 went up to interview ,not able to secure a seat.

I failed because I was not able to balance between my work and studies. My branch is one of the biggest branch of our bank, so I was busy all day,and reach my room all exhausted and not able to follow the study routine.but deep inside i really wanted to crack the IBPS,just for my fulfillment and satisfaction. Fortunately this time my favourite bank (INDIAN BANK)is participating in the recruiting process, so i braced up myself and started preparing.
Obviously I was not able to study because of work tension and tiredness but somehow i managed to do so .
Here is my startegy from my past experience IBPS 2016(held on 01/01/2017) was the toughest exam I've ever faced,exam level was beyond PO exams.So my utmost importance was ,to do selected number of questions with accuracy.As i already cleared a Bank exam and working, I was pretty confident that i could be able to crack another exam easily.

My daily routine for IBPS CLERKS 2017

While i came back from work -

For the first 30mins-1hr i just solved simplification, multiplication, Percentage problems alone.
Next I solved 5sets of Di
Then I moved on to solve roughly 2puzzles, as the past trend puzzles getting tougher and tougher. I practiced puzzle just to face the worst situation.

My plan was to do easy problems first with accuracy and keep the application problems and puzzles , which i planned to do it at the end.

Current Affairs And Banking Awareness -

My favourite and one of the scoring part of the exam. I used to read daily current affairs from Grade up and attend quizzes regularly on this topic.Trust me Grade up USERS quizzes are the best because they collect from various sources and they conduct Quizzes on static parts as well,which was related to the current affairs.So i noted all those static points from their Quizzes on a seperate dairy.then i note down the current affairs on a dairy, not daily but weekly.i read daily but used weekly onliners of Grade up to take notes weekly. if any banking abbreviations or organisation comes on the current affairs,i note down the abbreviations,hq,head etc seperately on the dairy. i do periodical revision and assess myself by giving Users Quizzes on Grade up.

English section

I'm comfortable over the subject,kind of. I read editorial from newspapers few times a week to enhance my comprehending skill.

I cleared the prelims and my main exam was scheduled on 21/01/2018.
The only stress that i faced during the preparation was my thinking that 'me not giving enough time for the preparation'. So,13th jan being 2nd Saturday,next 3days being Sunday and Pongal holidays (Makar Sankranti) and i asked for leave from my branch for next 4days(17 to 20),for final the touch up for my studies, totally i had 8 days for gearing up myself for the exam,ever thing was in my favour.
I told myself never repeat the same mistakes again, i just read current affairs and static awareness only on those 8 days,I didn't practice any mock tests,even though I practised it in the past.I practice few syllogism, inequalities, quadratic, input output questions only, nothing else.
I reached exam venue and shocked on seeing the laminated sheets because my hands sweat a lot. Few times while working on the sheet, I ended up erasing them, but i held my nerves and kept my composure.I used handkerchief in between my hand and laminated to avoid erasing.

I attempted 128 questions. I saw the result and got selected in my preferred bank "INDIAN BANK"

Obtained marks/My attempts -