IBPS PO Descriptive Paper: Letter and Essay Writing, and What Changed

Most people preparing for IBPS PO treat the descriptive test as an afterthought. It is 25 marks, it is only checked if you clear the mains cutoffs, and it feels like the least urgent thing on the list next to reasoning puzzles and data interpretation. Then the mains arrives, you get thirty minutes, a blank typing box, and a topic you have no opinion on. Half the candidates write five sloppy paragraphs, run out of time and submit a piece that reads like a school assignment written the night before.

The good news is that this paper is very trainable. It does not test hidden knowledge. It tests whether you can organise a clear piece of writing under time pressure, type it quickly, and stay on topic. With three or four weeks of small, regular practice, you can get comfortable with it.

This post covers what the paper is, what has changed recently, how it is checked, and how to prepare for both the essay and the letter, with model answers you can look at. One caution up front: the pattern of this section has been revised and the reports of the latest cycles differ from older ones. I explain that below, and the official notification is the only authority.

What the descriptive test is

The descriptive English test is an online, typed test held after the objective mains papers. It is a separate test with a separate timer. Marks obtained in it are added to your mains score when it is evaluated, but the descriptive paper is only checked for candidates who clear the sectional and overall cutoffs in the objective mains, according to the usual IBPS practice. Read the current notification to confirm how your cycle treats it.

Details that have been widely reported for recent cycles:

• Total marks: 25.
• Duration: 30 minutes.
• Mode: typed on the computer at the exam centre. There is no handwriting.
• Weight: a low score costs you marks in a competition where the final gap can be small. Whether there is a separate minimum for this test depends on the cycle, so check the notification.

Letter and essay, or essay and comprehension? The pattern question

This is where students get confused, so here is what I could find. For many years the test had two tasks: a letter (formal, about 10 marks) and an essay (about 15 marks). Several preparation sites that analysed the 2025 mains report that the letter has been replaced by a comprehension-style task, so that the paper is now one essay for 15 marks and one comprehension answer for 10 marks, both in 30 minutes. One shift analysis mentions the essay was about 250 to 350 words with a choice of two topics, and the passage was about AI adoption in India versus developed countries.

I could not confirm this from the official notification text, and IBPS changes formats between years, sometimes with only a line in the notice. So here is how I would handle it:

• Read the notification for your cycle carefully. If it says letter writing and essay, prepare both. If it says essay and comprehension, prepare that.
• Practise both formats anyway. The letter format is a good drill in structure and tone, and the summary or comprehension answer trains the same clarity. The overlap is large.
• The title of this post uses "letter and essay" because that is what most students search for, and because the skill set is shared.

If you are reading this a few months before the exam, spend most of your time on the essay (15 marks, whichever variant), and split the rest between letter and comprehension practice.

How it is scored (as far as anyone knows)

IBPS does not publish a marking rubric for this paper. What is generally understood from candidate reports and preparation material:

• Content and relevance to the topic.
• Organisation: introduction, development and conclusion.
• Grammar, spelling and sentence construction.
• Vocabulary and tone appropriate to the task.
• Word limit adherence.

Treat these as reasonable assumptions, not the official scheme. The practical implication is that a clean, on-topic, well-organised piece with a plain vocabulary beats a fancy piece with errors.

The typing question

Because the test is typed, your typing speed is part of your score. Here is the arithmetic.

• A 250-word essay at 25 words per minute takes 10 minutes of pure typing.
• At 30 words per minute it is about 8.3 minutes.
• At 20 words per minute it is 12.5 minutes.

Add planning time and review. If you have 18 minutes for the essay and use 3 for planning and 2 for a read-through, you have 13 minutes of typing. At 20 words per minute you can type 260 words. At 15 you can type about 195, which is too short for a full essay. So under about 18 to 20 words per minute, typing itself starts to cap your marks.

How to fix it: practise on a keyboard, not a phone. Ten minutes a day on a free typing tool gets most people from 15 to 25 words per minute in three or four weeks. Practise on English text with punctuation, because that is what you will type, not random words.

Also practise typing in an interface that does not have a spell-check. The exam interface may not underline mistakes, so you need to be your own proofreader.

A 30-minute plan

A split that many candidates use, adjusted for the essay-plus-comprehension version: roughly 18 minutes for the essay and 12 for the other task. If your paper has a letter and an essay, a natural split is 10 minutes for the letter and 20 for the essay. Whatever the split, keep the same shape:

1. First 2 minutes: read the topic or passage, decide the angle.
2. Next 2 to 3 minutes: write a five-line outline in the rough sheet or in your head: opening idea, two or three points, one counterpoint, closing idea.
3. Typing time: do not stop to fix small errors. Keep going.
4. Last 2 minutes: read what you typed. Fix spelling, punctuation and obvious repetition. Add a closing line if you ran out of time.

Do not go over the time in one task and leave the other unfinished. An unfinished second task costs more marks than a slightly shorter first task.

Writing the essay

Choose the topic well

When you have two topics, choose the one where you can write three distinct points, not the one that sounds impressive. Most topics on IBPS descriptive papers, based on reports from recent years, are drawn from economy, banking and technology, social issues, governance, environment and current affairs. Examples mentioned in analyses include data privacy and government transparency, but I cannot vouch for a full list. What matters is you can produce a balanced piece on any of these areas.

Structure that works

A structure that fits in about 250 to 300 words:

1. Opening (3 to 4 lines): set the context. A small concrete observation works better than a general statement. Avoid "Since time immemorial".
2. Body one (advantages, causes or the current position): two or three points with a short example for each.
3. Body two (problems, criticisms or challenges): two or three points. A one-sided essay reads as thin.
4. Way forward (3 to 4 lines): what government, banks or citizens can do. Be specific.
5. Close (2 lines): a plain concluding thought. No slogans.

If the topic is banking-related, mention things you can be safe on: financial inclusion, digital payments, credit access, cyber fraud, customer protection. Avoid quoting statistics from memory. Wrong numbers hurt more than no numbers. A phrase like "a large share of transactions now happens digitally" is safe. "63.7% of transactions" is a risk.

A model essay

Topic: Digital payments in India: convenience and risks. This is a practice piece I wrote for this post, not an IBPS question or an official answer. It runs about 300 words.

Digital payments have changed how India spends. A vegetable seller with a QR code sticker is no longer unusual, and a student in a small town can split a restaurant bill from his phone. Yet the convenience has come with costs that are easy to overlook, and a fair assessment has to weigh both.

The gains are clear. Transactions are faster and cheaper, and each one leaves a record. That record helps small businesses prove their income and apply for credit, something that cash never allowed. Subsidies reach bank accounts directly, which reduces leakage. For the government, a shift from cash improves tax compliance. For the customer, there is no need to carry cash or wait for change.

The problems are also real. Fraud has grown along with usage, and the victims are often first-time users, older people and those who are not comfortable with phones. A single wrong click on a fake link can empty an account. Connectivity is uneven, and in areas with weak networks, a payment can fail at the counter. There is also a question of who is left out: people without smartphones, or those who cannot read the screen in English, remain dependent on cash.

Solutions exist but need steady effort. Banks can send clearer alerts and build faster complaint systems, so that a customer who loses money knows where to go. Financial literacy programmes in local languages would help, as would simple interfaces designed for first-time users. Regulators can require quick reversal of disputed transactions.

In the end, digital payments are not a problem to be solved but a system to be improved. The direction is right. The task now is to make it safe and open to everyone, so the benefits do not stop at those who are already comfortable with technology.

Some points about this sample. It opens with an observation instead of a definition. Each paragraph has one job. The vocabulary is ordinary. It has a counterpoint, a set of remedies and a plain ending. You do not need to match this level on your first attempt; practise until you can write something of this shape in 15 minutes.

Common essay mistakes

• Writing in slogans. "India is a great country and must go forward." That says nothing.
• Stuffing difficult words. If you are not sure of the word, use a simpler one.
• Listing points as bullets. The essay should read as connected paragraphs, not a set of notes.
• Ignoring the counterpoint. Balanced pieces score better as a rule.
• Running past the word limit or falling far short. Under 200 words looks thin. Over 350 risks errors and time.
• Personal politics. Stay neutral on parties and leaders. Discuss policies and outcomes.

Writing the letter (if your paper has one)

The formal letter is a fixed format, which makes it the most predictable part of the test. Types reported for IBPS include complaint letters, application letters, letters to the editor, and letters to a bank manager or authority about a request or an issue. The subject often relates to a bank branch, services, or a community problem.

Format

• Sender's address (may be shortened or represented as "Sender's address" in the exam; follow the instruction on screen).
• Date.
• Receiver's designation and address.
• Subject line: one line, specific.
• Salutation: "Sir/Madam" for formal letters.
• Body: three short paragraphs. What the problem or request is; details and evidence; what you want done and by when.
• Closing: "Yours faithfully" (when you addressed "Sir/Madam"), then your name.

If the question uses a placeholder such as "Xyz" for your name, or gives a name and address, use exactly what is given, and do not invent details you were not asked for.

Tone

Polite, direct, no anger and no flattery. Complaint letters lose marks when they sound like rants.

A model letter body

Scenario: you are a customer writing to the branch manager about a repeatedly non-functional ATM. Again, this is a practice piece for this post. The body alone is about 170 words.

I am writing to complain about the repeated failure of the ATM at your Sector 12 branch. Over the last three weeks, the machine has been out of service on at least five occasions, including twice on a Monday morning when most customers need cash for the week.

I visited the ATM on 3 September and 10 September. Both times a notice said "Out of order", and I had to travel to another branch, about four kilometres away. Many senior citizens who use this ATM cannot manage such a trip. A shopkeeper next to the branch told me his customers face the same problem.

I request you to look into this matter and have the machine repaired at the earliest. If it cannot be fixed soon, a temporary arrangement, such as a cash-deposit-and-withdrawal kiosk or extended counter hours, would help. It would also be useful to display a notice at the branch stating when the machine will be working again.

I would appreciate a reply within seven days. Thank you for your attention.

Notice the details in the second paragraph: dates, the distance, who is affected. Specifics make the letter believable. And the third paragraph makes a request, offers an alternative and sets a time frame.

Common letter mistakes

• Wrong salutation and closing pair. "Dear Sir" with "Yours faithfully" is fine in many styles, but keep to one convention: "Sir/Madam" with "Yours faithfully".
• Missing subject line.
• A body that is one long paragraph.
• Emotional language. "I am extremely disgusted" reads badly. "I am concerned" reads well.
• Adding a fake name and address when the question asked you to use a given one.

Comprehension and summary: if it replaces the letter

If your paper has a comprehension task, the skills are different but the preparation is not. You read a passage of a few hundred words and write a short answer, often a summary or an answer to a question about the main argument. What helps:

• Read the passage once for the main idea, then once for supporting points.
• Write in your own words. Do not copy long strings from the passage.
• Stay within the word limit for the answer. If it asks for 80 words, write about 80.
• Include the main claim, the two or three supporting points and the conclusion of the author.

Practise with editorial passages from an English newspaper. Read a 400-word piece, then type a 80-word summary in six minutes.

Vocabulary and grammar: what actually matters

You do not need rare vocabulary. You need:

• Correct subject-verb agreement.
• Consistent tense.
• Correct use of articles (a, an, the), which is the most frequent Indian English error in writing.
• Short sentences mixed with a few longer ones.
• Linking words that are simple: however, also, as a result, for example.

Reading the editorials of a newspaper for 20 minutes daily is more useful than memorising a word list. See English vocabulary for SSC and IBPS for how to build word knowledge without cramming.

A four-week practice plan

If you have four weeks before the mains and you are already busy with the objective sections, aim for 30 to 40 minutes a day, three to four days a week.

Week 1: Type-only week. Practise typing for 15 minutes daily. Also read one editorial and note its structure: what is the opening, what are the points, what is the ending.

Week 2: Write four essays untimed on economy and banking topics. Then rewrite each one more tightly. Notice which errors keep coming back, such as articles or long sentences.

Week 3: Write two timed essays (18 minutes) and two letters (10 minutes) or summaries (12 minutes). Type them on the computer, count the words.

Week 4: Two full 30-minute simulations. After each, review the piece the next day, when you can see mistakes.

Ask a friend or a teacher to read your work. Self-review is helpful but weak, because you read what you meant to write.

Topic areas to keep warm

Do not memorise essays. It rarely works, because topics are worded differently, and pre-learned content shows. Instead keep a list of areas and have three points and one example ready for each:

• Digital payments and cyber fraud
• Financial inclusion and rural banking
• Artificial intelligence in jobs and banking
• Climate change and green finance
• Unemployment and skill development
• Public sector banks and privatisation
• Data privacy and transparency in governance
• Inflation and the role of the central bank
• Women in the workforce
• Education and technology

For each, write one paragraph in your own words once a week. That gives you a base of ideas to shape to whatever topic comes. For current affairs and banking-related material, static GK for banking awareness and current affairs how to study help you collect examples without adding a big reading load.

How the descriptive test fits into your overall preparation

For most candidates, the sequence is prelims, then mains (objective and descriptive), then the interview. The descriptive test does not decide who clears the mains sectional cutoffs, and you should not sacrifice a reasoning or DI hour for it. But it deserves a slot. See IBPS PO prelims vs mains sectional strategy for how to weigh the mains sections, and the IBPS PO complete guide for the whole process.

For candidates near the final cutoff, a few marks here can matter. IBPS does not publish descriptive score distributions, so there is no official benchmark for what counts as a good score.

What to do this week

Set a timer for 18 minutes. Pick a topic from the list above. Plan for two minutes, type for 14, review for two. Count the words and note your typing speed. Do the same tomorrow with a different topic, and compare. If you have a Pareeksha mock scheduled, keep the last 30 minutes of the day free afterwards to attempt a descriptive practice, since in the real exam it comes after several hours of objective questions and you need to know how you write when you are tired.

FAQ

Is the descriptive test qualifying, or are the marks counted? The reports for recent cycles say the marks are added to the mains score, subject to the notification's rules. Check the current notification for whether there is a separate minimum.

What if I cannot type fast? Work on it early, since it takes weeks. Even if you can only type about 18 words a minute, aim for a well-structured 200-word piece rather than a rushed longer one.

Do I need to write in a particular format such as five paragraphs? No fixed format is prescribed for the essay. Introduction, two body paragraphs, a way forward and a close is a sensible shape.

Can I use bullet points in the essay? It is safer to write in paragraphs. The task is an essay, and bullets can look like notes.

Is there a rough paper to plan? Reports vary. Some centres have provided rough sheets and some candidates plan on screen. Check the instructions in your admit card and on the day.

Are the model answers in this post from an actual paper? No. Both were written for this post as practice models. They are not official answers and the topics are not claimed to be from a real paper.