This article offers a detailed overview of the IBPS Clerk Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025 for Clerical cadre posts. Aspiring candidates are advised to start their preparation by thoroughly understanding the structure and subjects of both Prelims and Mains exams provided in this article.
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) will conduct the IBPS Clerk 2025 Exam to recruit candidates for Clerical cadre posts across Participating Banks. The selection process includes two stages – Preliminary and Mains Examination. Candidates targeting this competitive exam must have a clear understanding of the IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2025.
The syllabus covers subjects like English, Reasoning, Numerical Ability, General/Financial Awareness, and Computer Aptitude. A detailed exam pattern and subject-wise syllabus for both Prelims and Mains exams is provided below.
Also Read: IBPS Clerk Recruitment 2025 Notification Out, Apply Online for CRP CSA XV Clerk Vacancy from Aug 1
IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2025
The IBPS Clerk Exam is conducted to select eligible candidates for clerical positions in various public sector banks. Candidates should focus on all the key subjects covered in both stages of the examination. Although the syllabus is not extremely vast, a smart and consistent study plan is essential to clear each phase of the exam successfully.
Highlights of IBPS Clerk Exam Pattern and Syllabus
To provide a better understanding of the exam structure, important highlights are given in the table below:
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruitment Authority | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Organization Name | Participating Public Sector Banks |
| Post | Clerical Cadre |
| Category | Syllabus & Exam Pattern |
| Mode of Examination | Prelims: Objective Type Mains: Objective Type |
| No. of Questions | Prelims: 100 Mains: 190 |
| Marks | Prelims: 100 marks Mains: 200 marks |
| Official Website | www.ibps.in |
IBPS Clerk Exam Pattern 2025
The IBPS Clerk Exam Pattern for Prelims and Mains has been discussed below. Candidates are advised to review the subject-wise marks, number of questions, duration, and penalty for wrong answers to plan their preparation accordingly.
IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern
- The Prelims Exam is conducted online and is of 100 marks.
- Each section is separately timed.
- There is a negative marking of 0.25 mark for each wrong answer.
- The exam consists of three sections.
- Duration of the exam is 60 minutes.
IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern
| Subjects | No. of Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
IBPS Clerk Prelims Syllabus 2025
English Language:
- Reading Comprehension
- Fillers
- Sentence Based Error
- Vocabulary
- Cloze Test
- Error Detection
- Sentence Improvement
- Word Swap (3 words, 4 words)
- Word Rearrangement (3 Words, 4 Words)
- Sentence Rearrangement
- Parajumble
- Column Based
- Idioms & Phrases
- Word Usage
- Connectors/Starters
Reasoning Ability:
- Puzzles (Box-based, Designation-based, Category-based, Floor/Flat-based, Day/Month/Year-based)
- Seating Arrangement (Circular, Square/Rectangle/Triangular, Linear – Single/Double row, Uncertain)
- Inequality (Direct and Indirect Statement)
- Distance and Direction
- Coding-Decoding
- Blood Relation
- Syllogism
- Series (Alpha-numeric-symbol, Word-based, Digit based, Letter based)
- Order – Ranking
- Word Pair / Number Pair
- Word formation
- Odd one out
- Word / Number based (Multiple operations)
Numerical Ability:
- Simplification
- Approximation
- Number Series (Missing, Wrong)
- Inequality (Linear equation, Quadratic equation, Quantity comparison)
- Ratio and Proportion
- Percentage
- Number System and HCF & LCM
- Average
- Age
- Partnership
- Mixture and Alligation
- Simple Interest
- Compound Interest
- Time and Work
- Pipe and Cistern
- Profit & Loss and Discount
- Speed Time Distance
- Boat and Stream
- Mensuration (2D and 3D)
- Probability
- Permutation & Combination
- Data Interpretation (Table, Pie Chart, Line, Bar, Mixed, Caselet)
- Data Sufficiency (Two Statement)
IBPS Clerk Mains Exam Pattern
- The Mains Exam is also conducted online.
- Each section is separately timed.
- The exam consists of four sections.
- There is a penalty of 0.25 mark for each wrong answer.
- The total duration is 160 minutes.
IBPS Clerk Mains Exam Pattern
| Subjects | No. of Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General/Financial Awareness | 50 | 50 | 35 minutes |
| General English | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 45 minutes |
| Total | 190 | 200 | 160 minutes |
IBPS Clerk Mains Syllabus 2025
General English:
- Reading Comprehension
- Fillers
- Sentence Rearrangement
- Error Detection
- Inferences
- Coherent Paragraph
- Paragraph Completion
- Starters
- Word Swap
- Word Rearrangement
- Spelling Error
- Idioms and Phrases
- Match The Columns
- Cloze Test
- Phrase Swapping
- Word Usage
Reasoning Ability and Computer Aptitude:
- Seating Arrangement
- Miscellaneous (Inequality, Distance and Direction, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relation, Input–Output, etc.)
- Logical Reasoning (Statement & Assumption, Inference, Conclusion)
Quantitative Aptitude:
- Approximation
- Number Series
- Inequality (Quadratic, Quantity Comparison)
- Arithmetic (All topics including Ratio, Percentage, SI/CI, Profit & Loss, Speed, Mensuration, etc.)
- Data Interpretation (All types including Radar, Scatter, Stock, Funnel, Caselet, etc.)
- Data Sufficiency (Two and Three Statement)
General/ Financial Awareness:
- National & International Current Affairs
- State News
- Sports
- Central Government Schemes
- Agreements/MoUs
- Books & Authors
- Defense
- Science & Technology
- Banking & Financial Awareness
- Static Awareness
- RBI Circulars
- Economy
- Important Days, Obituaries, Appointments, Awards
- Budget & Economic Survey 2025-26
- Indexes & Reports
Also Read: IBPS Clerk Eligibility 2025, Check Age Limit and Educational Qualification
FAQs on IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2025
Q1. What are the main subjects included in the IBPS Clerk Prelims Syllabus?
A1. The Prelims syllabus includes English Language, Numerical Ability, and Reasoning Ability.
Q2. Is there any descriptive paper in the IBPS Clerk exam?
A2. No, both Prelims and Mains are objective-type exams.
Q3. Will there be negative marking in IBPS Clerk 2025?
A3. Yes, 0.25 mark will be deducted for every wrong answer.
Q4. How many questions are there in the IBPS Clerk Mains Exam?
A4. There are 190 questions in the Mains exam carrying a total of 200 marks.
Q5. Is Computer Aptitude part of the IBPS Clerk syllabus?
A5. Yes, it is combined with Reasoning Ability in the Mains examination.