In the ever-racing world of banking, preliminary examinations such as SBI PO, IBPS clerk, and RRB OA, time is more than just a bystander; it's your fiercest enemy. The stringent sectional time limit for each section ensures that there is no space left for mulling over any matter once the screen becomes locked. The bank prelims do not assess your depth of academic knowledge; they assess your speed and accuracy of cognition. 

In such a scenario, a student who has the ability to solve a question within two minutes will be surpassed by the one who solves the same question in 20 seconds. It is crucial for crossing the ever-increasing cut-off marks that you change your strategy from slow calculations to fast tactical solutions. This is how you master the clock and excel in bank prelims. This article discusses speed-building techniques for bank prelims to master the clock. 

An optimal combination of right bank coaching along with effective time management techniques can considerably increase your speed and accuracy in the Bank Prelims test.

Mastering the clock: speed-building techniques for bank prelims

Here are some of the speed-building techniques for bank prelims to master the clock:

1. The 10-second filter: master the art of skipping

The greatest pitfall during any Prelims paper is an egalitarian approach where all questions have equal value. This is wrong. The elaborate multi-variable problem carries as much weight as a simple syllogism but requires five times the effort.

• First-Round Culling: During the first 60 seconds of each section, quickly cull out the easiest questions. You need to pick up your "easy marks" quickly.
• The Ego Filter: Any question that takes more than 30 seconds to answer, or makes you struggle in the middle of it, should be quickly jettisoned. Emotionally getting tied to a hard problem is the number one reason for failure of the sectional cut-off.  

     2.Quantitative aptitude: weaponize your subconscious 

If you find yourself reaching for your pen when multiplying numbers or computing percentages, then you are wasting time. The quantitative section requires an extremely efficient subconscious processor. 

• The Speed-Math Core: Squares till 50, cubes till 30, and times tables till 25. This information should be relational rather than calculation-based.Percentage-fraction Pairing: Learn the fractions corresponding to percentages (for example, knowing 62.5% = 5/8 or 87.5% = 7/8 without even thinking) by heart. This converts scary Data Interpretation (DI) computations into simple mathematics. Approximation versus Preciseness: For simplification problems, assume 459.98 = 460 and 11.02% = 11%. Develop the ability to judge between answer choices by analyzing unit digits and orders of magnitude.

      3.Reasoning ability: the matrix approach to puzzles

• Puzzles and Seating Arrangement form the entrance to the Reasoning Section. Speed is not achieved by thinking fast; rather, speed is achieved by minimizing rethinking.
• Concurrent Case Building: Never draw a case, get stuck on it, erase it, and build another case again. Analyze the information and build up to 2 or 3 cases (Case 1, Case 2, Case 3) at once. As more information comes along, all other cases will be ruled out automatically.
• Directness of Clues: First, solve other miscellaneous topics – Inequalities, Syllogisms, Alpha-Numeric Series, and Coding-Decoding. They help you to build a time buffer for solving puzzles.

      4.English language: the structural reading revolution 

• English, on its own, can save a lot of your time if you do it structurally. The mistake here would be to read the content passively by just running through lines without understanding anything.
• Tone and Signposts: While reading the RC passage, try not to remember everything that you read. Just concentrate on the structural signposts such as however, consequently, furthermore, and in contrast. These words indicate the change in the author’s stance, which will help in understanding the questions.
• Grammar Visuals: To detect errors and replace phrases, practice finding the subject and the verb in a sentence. Removing fillers helps in easily detecting the mismatch in the structure.

Conclusion: forging instincts under fire 

 Speed for the Bank Preliminary examination does not come by virtue of genes; it is a conditioned reflex. One cannot be lazy throughout the week and expect his/her mind to suddenly work at high speed on the day of the examination. Speed comes from timed practice.

As you move towards the latter stages of your preparations, incorporate section-wise mock tests in your daily schedule. Besides analyzing the questions that you failed to solve, analyze the time it took you to answer the questions correctly. This way, your mind will be conditioned to spot patterns instantly and weed out distractions ruthlessly.