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Updated By Tiyasa Khanra on 09 Jul, 2025 15:12
Registration Starts On July 01, 2025
The IBSAT 2025 paper analysis will be made available on this page once the exam concludes for each session. You can use the IBSAT exam analysis 2025 before your exam to enhance your preparation accordingly.
Your Ultimate Exam Preparation Guide Awaits!
An in-depth IBSAT 2025 exam analysis will be provided after the test is concluded on December 27 and 28, 2025. The IBSAT 2025 exam will be held in a computer-based mode, featuring 140 objective-type questions. The IBSAT 2025 exam pattern remains consistent with expectations, offering no surprises in the question paper structure. Among the sections, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency often proves to be the most time-consuming.
IBSAT was conducted last year on December 28 and 29, 2024. Overall, the difficulty level of IBSAT 2024 was moderate. The exam included multiple-choice questions covering quantitative techniques, data interpretation, data adequacy, vocabulary, analytical reasoning, and reading comprehension. Candidates can refer to this page for past exam analyses to understand the difficulty level and question formats.
The IBSAT 2025 exam analysis will let candidates have a better understanding of the difficulty level of the exam. The section-wise IBSAT 2025 exam analysis will be updated below:
Section | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
Verbal Ability | TBA |
Reading Comprehension | TBA |
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency | TBA |
Quantitative Aptitude | TBA |
Overall | TBA |
The difficulty level of the IBSAT 2024 exam was easy to moderate.
No lowercase in IBSAT question paper
There were variation in types of questions and topics as compared to 2023.
The expected IBSAT 2024 cut-off of ICFAI Hyderabad Campus is 60-65 percentile
Expected IBSAT 2024 cut-off of other ICFAI Campuses to remain the same as the previous year or change slightly
Test takers could attempt 32-34 questions from each section in half an hour. For students with sound preparation, solving 17-20 questions from each section in IBSAT 2024 exam with accuracy was easy.
Questions asked from the Verbal Ability section were comparatively easy.
Questions from the Quant section were mainly asked from topics such as arithmetic, geometry, and logarithms.
The Data Adequacy and Data Interpretation section had more questions based on PI graphs and line graphs.
There were 30-32 questions from each section that will be easy to answer and can be solved within half an hour.
The IBSAT 2024 exam analysis will let candidates have a better understanding of the difficulty level of the exam. The section-wise IBSAT 2024 exam analysis has been updated below:
Section | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
Verbal Ability | Easy |
Reading Comprehension | Easy |
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency | Moderate |
Quantitative Aptitude | Easy |
Overall | Easy to Moderate |
IBSAT 2023 exam dates were December 23 and December 24, 2023. The IBSAT 2023 exam analysis will let candidates have a better understanding of the difficulty level of the exam. Check the section-wise IBSAT 2023 exam analysis below:
Section | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
Verbal Ability | Easy |
Reading Comprehension | Easy |
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency | Easy to Moderate |
Quantitative Aptitude | Moderate |
Overall | Easy to Moderate |
The difficulty level of the IBSAT 2023 exam is expected to be easy to moderate level of difficulty. The key highlights of the IBSAT 2023 question paper are given in the table below:
Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
Mode of IBSAT 2023 exam | Online computer-based test |
Language of the IBSAT 2023 Question Paper | English |
Type of Questions | MCQs |
Duration of the IBSAT 2023 Exam | 2 hours |
Sectional Time Limit | No sectional time limit |
Total Number of Questions | 140 |
Total Marks | 140 |
Number of Sections in IBSAT 2023 | 4 Sections:
|
Number of questions in each section |
|
Marking Scheme |
|
IBSAT 2022 exam dates are December 24 and December 25. The IBSAT 2022 exam analysis will let candidates have a better understanding of the difficulty level of the exam. Check the section-wise IBSAT 2022 exam analysis below:
Section | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
Verbal Ability | Easy |
Reading Comprehension | Easy |
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency | Moderate |
Quantitative Aptitude | Moderate |
Overall | Easy to Moderate |
IBSAT 2021 exam was conducted on December 25 and Dec 26. IBSAT 2021 was conducted in online mode for MBA/PGDM admissions in IBS Hyderabad and 8 other campuses of ICFAI Business School. The IBSAT 2021 Exam Analysis will allow the candidates to know the difficulty level of the exam as well as the number of questions that were asked in the exam. Check the exam analysis below:
Section | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
Verbal Ability | Easy |
Reading Comprehension | Easy to Moderate |
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency | Moderate |
Quantitative Aptitude | Moderate |
Overall | Easy to Moderate |
IBSAT is conducted every year for admission into MBA/PGPM and Ph.D. programmes in Management offered by ICFAI University. This year, the exam was conducted on December 26 and 27, 2020. Candidates can take a look at the IBSAT 2020 exam analysis below.
IBSAT 2020 (Dec 26) Exam and Question Paper Analysis, Answer Key, and Solutions | IBSAT 2020 (Dec 27) Exam and Question Paper Analysis, Answer Key and Solutions |
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The IBSAT 2019 pre-exam analysis is based on the previous year exam analysis due to the same IBSAT exam pattern that has been in continuation for the last 5 years. The pre-exam analysis for IBSAT 2019 will focus on in-depth analysis of the IBSAT 2019 paper and section-wise analysis of the IBSAT entrance exam which will be conducted in the month of December.
The section-wise pre-exam analysis of IBSAT 2019 is given below:
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency
The questions in this section are expected to be based on line-graph, table, bar-graph other than some questions which will require intensive calculation and will be logic-based. Questions related to ratio, change of percentage are also expected in this section.
English Usage
The questions in this section are expected to test the vocabulary and grammatical skills of the candidates. Although in the past few years, the grammar-based questions were relatively easier than the vocabulary questions, the candidates are suggested to dedicate an equal amount of time and effort for all the aspects of this section.
Quantitative Ability
For the last few years, the students faced the maximum difficulty in the IBSAT quantitative ability section. The difficulty level of this section has hovered between moderate and difficult in the previous 5 years. Questions expected in this section will be most probably from topics such as Algebra, Numbers, Modern Maths etc.
Reading Comprehension
The reading comprehension section is expected to have 4 passages and different type of questions will be asked on the basis of the given passages. The easy and direct nature of the passages can disguise the fact that the questions asked from them may be quite tricky.
The IBSAT 2018 Exam Analysis is available for all those who appeared for the examination on 22nd and 23rd December 2018. The analysis includes the exam structure, overall as well as the section-wise difficulty level of the paper, and the trends of previous years. Those who took the exam this year can now get a detailed understanding of IBSAT exam structure and type of questions asked in the exam. Apart from this, candidates can also check the expected cut-offs, key changes and whether or not there were any surprise elements.
IBSAT had 140 questions to be completed in 2 hours, distributed across 4 sections. There was no sectional cut-off and no sectional time limit in this exam. Each question carried 1 mark.
The sectional break-up is given below:
Section | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
Verbal Ability | 50 |
Reading Comprehension | 30 |
Quantitative Aptitude | 30 |
Data Adequacy & Data Interpretation | 30 |
Verbal Ability
Verbal ability section had easy questions. Vocabulary questions were slightly tricky but the grammar part was easier.
Reading Comprehension
There were 2 passages, on an average between 500- 600 words. While some questions were direct and factual, some took time to answer.
Quantitative Ability
The Quantitative Ability section had a good mixture of problems including arithmetic, geometry and analytical geometry. The questions were framed on speed, distance and time, ratio proportion, work problems, heights, progressions, probability, percentages, etc.
Data Adequacy and Data Interpretation
The Data Interpretation section was focused strongly on data adequacy and logical thinking. The paper had questions on pi graphs, line graphs etc. Few other questions were on percentage change, the ratio between two values, etc.
Candidates may also go through the IBSAT analysis of previous years to know what has been the trend in previous years and what all one can expect in the exam in the future.
IBSAT is a popular management entrance exam conducted by IBS Business School in a computer-based format. IBSAT is a two-hour long paper with 4 sections including Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Ability and Data Adequacy & Data Interpretation. As part of the exam preparation, students usually go through the previous year's paper analysis in order to get an understanding of the paper pattern, type of questions, marking scheme and the level of difficulty that students should expect in the examination. Following is the detailed analysis of IBSAT December 2017.
The exam was conducted over a period of four days from December 21-24, 2017. As per the sources, there were no glitches in the paper. In terms of difficulty level, the IBSAT question paper turned out to be more difficult as compared to last year. There were a total of 140 questions and each question had 5 options. Out of the 5 options, candidates had to pick one. For every correct answer, one mark is awarded, and there is no negative marking for wrong answers. Candidates had the liberty to access all the questions at any time during the examination.
Take a look at the break-up of sections and number of questions asked in every section.
| Sections | No. of Questions | |
|---|---|---|
| Sections I | Verbal Ability - A | 45 |
| Verbal Ability - B | 5 | |
| Section II | Reading Comprehension | 30 |
| Section III | Quantitative Ability | 30 |
| Section IV | Data Sufficiency & Data Interpretation | 30 |
Section I: Verbal Ability - A
Since there was no negative marking, all the questions in this section could have been attempted in about 25 minutes with about 85% accuracy.
| Topic | No. of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of idiom/phrase | 5 | 1 Easy, 3 Medium, 1 Difficult |
| Synonyms of the word | 5 | 3 Medium, 2 Difficult |
| One word substitute of the given phrase | 5 | 1 Easy, 2 Medium, 2 Difficult |
| Jumbled Paragraph | 5 | 2 Easy, 3 Medium |
| Word Analogy | 5 | 1 Easy, 2 Medium, 2 Difficult |
| Double FIB | 5 | 2 Easy, 2 Medium, 1 Difficult |
| Replace the underlined part of the given sentence | 5 | 2 Easy, 2 Medium, 1 Difficult |
| Find error from four underlined parts | 5 | 3 Easy, 2 Medium |
| Antonyms | 5 | 3 Medium, 2 Difficult |
Section I: Verbal Ability - B
In this section, students had to take a cloze test containing 5 blanks. Out of the 5 questions, three were easy, and two were moderately tough. All these questions could have been answered in about 5 minutes with about 80% accuracy.
Section II: Reading Comprehension
About 20 to 22 questions in this section could have been answered in about 30 minutes with about 80-85% accuracy.
| Passage | No. of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Problems in Argentina’s Banking System and the Fear Psychosis Created by it (600 words) | 8 | 6 Easy, 2 Medium |
| Freedom and its Responsibilities (1500+ words) | 8 | 3 Easy, 4 Medium, 1 Difficult |
| Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD (900 words) | 9 | 6 Easy, 2 Medium, 1 Difficult |
| Popularity of Shakespeare (950+ words) | 5 | 4 Easy, 1 Medium |
Section III: Quantitative Ability
In this section, around 12-15 questions could have been answered in about 25-30 minutes. This section was more difficult as compared to last year's IBSAT.
| Topic | No. of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers | 1 | 15 Easy, 12 Medium and 3 Difficult |
| Algebra | 2 | |
| Arithmetic | 17 | |
| Geometry | 2 | |
| Modern Math | 8 |
Section IV: Data Sufficiency and Data Interpretation
With moderate difficulty level, students could have solved around 15-17 questions on Data Adequacy and Data Interpretation in 25-30 minutes.
| Topic | No. of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers | 3 | 10 Easy, 4 Medium and 1 Difficult |
| Algebra | 3 | |
| Arithmetic | 4 | |
| Geometry | 2 | |
| Logical Reasoning | 3 |
The IBSAT 2016 was conducted over a period of two weeks, with four slots per day. The paper comprised 140 questions that students were expected to attempt within the time duration of two hours. The test was conducted smoothly and there were no glitches. Overall, the IBSAT 2016 turned out to easier.
Take a look at the break-up of sections and number of questions asked in every section.
| Sections | No. of Questions | |
|---|---|---|
| Sections I | Verbal Ability - A | 45 |
| Verbal Ability - B | 5 | |
| Section II | Reading Comprehension | 30 |
| Section III | Quantitative Ability | 30 |
| Section IV | Data Sufficiency & Data Interpretation | 30 |
Every question was followed by 5 options and students had to pick any one of the choices. Candidates were awarded one mark for every correct response and there was no negative marking for any incorrect answer. Candidates had the liberty to access all the questions at any time during the examination. The difficulty level of majority of the questions was easy to moderate.
Section I: Verbal Ability - A
| Topic | No. of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of idiom/phrase | 5 | 3 Easy & 2 Moderate |
| Synonyms of the word | 5 | 3 Easy & 2 Moderate |
| One word substitute of the given phrase | 5 | 3 Easy, 1 Moderate & 1 Tough |
| Jumbled Paragraph | 5 | 3 Easy, 1 Moderate & 1 Tough |
| Word Analogy | 5 | 3 Easy, 1 Moderate & 1 Tough |
| Double FIB | 5 | 4 Easy & 1 Moderate |
| Replace the underlined part of the given sentence | 5 | 3 Easy & 2 Moderate |
| Find error from four underlined parts | 5 | 2 Easy, 2 Medium & 1 Tough |
| Antonyms | 5 | 2 Easy, 2 Medium & 1 Tough |
All the questions in this section could have been attempted in 30 minutes with about 85% accuracy.
Section I: Verbal Ability - B
In this section, students had to take a cloze test containing 5 blanks. Out of the 5 questions, three were easy, one was slightly tough and one was moderately tough. All these questions could have been answered in about 5 minutes with about 80% accuracy.
Section II: Reading Comprehension
| Passage | No. of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Tyrannosaurus rex (500 words) | 5 | 5 Easy |
| Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (750 words) | 8 | 5 Easy, 2 Moderate & 1 Tough |
| Type I & Type II Diabetes (350 words) | 8 | 6 Easy & 2 Moderate |
| Archaeology (950+ words) | 9 | 4 Easy, 3 Moderate & 2 Tough |
All the questions under each passage could have been answered in 30-35 minutes with about 80-85% accuracy.
Section III: Quantitative Ability
| Topic | No. of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers | 5 | 24 Easy & 6 Moderate |
| Algebra | 5 | |
| Arithmetic | 14 | |
| Geometry | 2 | |
| Modern Math | 5 |
In this section, around 20 questions could have been answered in about 25-30 minutes.
Section IV: Data Sufficiency and Data Interpretation
| Topic | No. of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers | 3 | Easy to Moderate |
| Algebra | 5 | |
| Arithmetic | 4 | |
| Geometry | 2 | |
| Logical Reasoning | 1 |
Data Adequacy questions and at least 2 sets on Data Interpretation could have been solved in about 25-30 minutes.
Want to know more about IBSAT
IBSAT 2024 was conducted on December 28 and December 29. The exam analysis indicated an overall difficulty level ranging from easy moderate. Section-wise difficulty levels for Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency, and Quantitative Aptitude were reported to range from easy to moderate.
For IBSAT 2024, the reported difficulty levels are as follows:
The IBSAT 2025 exam is scheduled to be held on December 27 and December 28, 2025. The examination spans over two days to accommodate the candidates.
When compared with other top MBA entrance exams such as CAT and XAT, the IBSAT exam is on par in terms of difficulty. However, achieving a high score in IBSAT becomes relatively easier with consistent and systematic study practices. Regular study routines and methodical preparation increase the likelihood of scoring well in the IBSAT exam.
Candidates who have appeared for the exam may check the paper analysis of IBSAT to know the exam structure. Besides this, candidates who are appearing for the exam may also check the paper analysis of IBSAT to get an idea about the exam difficulty.
The quantitative aptitude section of the exam is more difficult than the other two sections since it involves calculation. Candidates should learn shortcuts techniques to solve the QA section easily.
IBSAT exam analysis will be updated on the exam day once the exam is conducted on December 27 & 28, 2025. You can check the paper analysis of IBSAT from here.
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