# IBPS Equipercentile Method

After an exam, candidates worry about how they performed. The IBPS exams attract lakhs of aspirants every year and the exam is conducted in multiple shifts. Some candidates might worry that their shift may have been harder than the others, which would mean a lower score and thus lower chances of selection. To mitigate these concerns, the Institute uses the IBPS equipercentile method to normalise marks across all shifts. This levels the playing field for every candidate. In this article, we will explore how the IBPS marking scheme uses the equipercentile method.

## IBPS Marks Calculation Method

The institute specifies the use of the equipercentile method in each IBPS exam notification. The marks obtained by candidates are normalized using the following formula:

Percentile Rank of Candidate =$\frac{Total\, Candidates\, in \,Shift – Rank \,of\, the\, candidate\, in\, that \,shift}{Total \,candidates\, in \,the \,shift – 1}$ * 100

Once the percentile rank is arrived at, the following steps are taken:

• Based on the number of vacancies available for the exam, the cutoff percentile is specified.
• The IBPS merit list is drawn up to shortlist candidates for the next stage of the examination.
• The same method is applied to each stage of the examination independently.
• For drawing up the final merit list, the equipercentile method is applied based on the exam structure. For example, for IBPS PO, the method would be applied to the total score of interview qualified candidates in both Mains and Interview would be normalized. If the method is being used for clerk selection, only the score secured in the mains would be normalized.

The IBPS takes great care in conducting an impartial selection process for the posts advertised in their notification. The IBPS marking scheme keeps the playing field level for every candidate irrespective of their background and the examination shift they were allotted. Candidates should focus on giving their best for the exam. Apart from the equipercentile method, the following are the salient features of the marking scheme followed by the institute:

• Negative Marking for Incorrect Answers:The institute deducts one-fourth of the marks allotted for a question if an incorrect answer is marked for that question. Conversely, there is no penalty if a question is left unanswered. Hence the formula used to calculate total marks in one paper is:

Total Marks = (Marks allotted for correct answers) – (Marks allotted for incorrect answers/4)

• Rounding Off of Marks:The institute rounds off total marks to the nearest two decimal places after normalization. Based on average scores after normalization, the sectional and overall cut-off marks are decided.

While calculating the overall score in any exam that involves an interview stage, the weightage allotted to the written exam and the interview is in the ratio of 80:20. The interview contributes 20% of the marks while the rest is calculated from the written(mains) exam scores. This ensures that candidates who have prepared well for the exam and can do well as bankers make the cut, irrespective of their socio-economic background.

Preparation for these exams should include judicious use of previous years’ question papers, IBPS books and mock tests to score the maximum marks. At the same time, one should not neglect the interview stage of these exams and prepare well for success.

Candidates can check out study material, notifications and strategies for IBPS exams at BYJU’S.

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