IBPS has released the updated IBPS Clerk syllabus and exam pattern alongside its official notification. This year, 11,403 vacancies have been announced for clerical cadre posts across 11 participating banks. If you are preparing for the IBPS Clerk 2026 exam, reviewing the latest exam structure and syllabus is essential. You can find the complete, updated IBPS Clerk syllabus and exam pattern detailed below, which closely aligns with standard banking examinations.
IBPS Clerk Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026
A candidate must review the IBPS Clerk Syllabus and Exam Pattern and practice with IBPS Clerk Previous Years’ Papers to understand the weightage of sub-topics across each section of both the preliminary and mains exams for IBPS Clerk Exam 2026. A slight change in the number of questions for the mains exam has been officially notified, bringing the total question count in the mains to 160.
| IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2026- Overview | |
| Exam Conducting Body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection |
| Exam Name | IBPS Clerk 2026 |
| IBPS Clerk Exam Date 2026 | Prelims- 10th & 11th October 2026 Mains- 27th December 2026 |
| No. of Questions | Prelims- 100 Mains- 160 |
| Maximum Marks | Prelims- 100 Mains- 200 |
| Duration | Prelims- 60 minutes Mains- 160 minutes |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 marks |
| Selection Process | Prelims & Mains |
| Official website | www.ibps.in |
IBPS Clerk 2026 Notification Out for 11,403 Vacancies - Click to Check
IBPS Clerk Selection Process 2026
The selection process for IBPS Clerk posts is a two-tier online examination comprising the Online Preliminary and Online Main exams. Preliminary exam marks are not counted toward the final merit list, meaning final selection is based solely on performance in the mains examination.
| Stages | Details |
| IBPS Clerk Prelims | No. of Questions- 100 Type of Questions- Multiple Choice Questions Duration- 60 minutes Qualifying in nature Subjects- English Language, Reasoning Ability, Numerical Ability Negative Marking- 0.25/ ¼th |
| IBPS Clerk Mains | No. of Questions- 160 Duration- 160 minutes Scoring in nature Subjects- Quantitative Aptitude, English Language, Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude, General/ Financial Awareness Negative Marking- 0.25/ ¼th |
| Language Proficiency Test (LPT) [NEW] | Conducted by the allotted bank | Tests reading, writing, and comprehension in the regional language of the state applied for |
IBPS Clerk Apply Online 2026 Starts - Click to Apply
Important: The number of questions in the Quantitative Aptitude section for IBPS Clerk Mains has been revised from 155 to 160.
IBPS Clerk Exam Pattern 2026
The preliminary exam for IBPS Clerk CRP XVI is an online test evaluating candidates on aptitude, intellect, and English proficiency. Both the Preliminary and Mains exams are conducted bilingually, in English and Hindi.
IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
The IBPS Clerk preliminary examination is administered online, giving candidates a total duration of 1 hour, broken down into strict 20-minute sectional time limits for each subject.
| Sno. | Name of Tests (Objective) | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
| 1 | English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| 2 | Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| 3 | Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes/1 Hour | |
IBPS Clerk Mains Exam Pattern 2026 (Revised)
- IBPS Clerk Mains Exam will now consist of 160 questions for 200 marks that need to be completed in a time frame of 120 minutes.
- Negative marking: 0.25 marks per wrong answer.
- Exam is bilingual (English + Hindi) except the English Language section.
| Name of Tests (Objective) | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
| Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | 35 minutes |
| English Language | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 40 | 50 | 30 minutes |
| General/Financial Awareness | 40 | 50 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 160 | 200 | 120 minutes |
IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2026 (Prelims & Mains)
While the syllabus for Numerical Ability / Quantitative Aptitude and English Language remains consistent across both prelims and mains, the mains exam also includes General / Financial Awareness and Reasoning & Computer Knowledge, with a strong emphasis on banking sector awareness.
IBPS Clerk Syllabus for English Language
The English Language section of the IBPS Clerk exam assesses your comprehension, grammar, and overall language proficiency. The updated syllabus for this section includes the following topics:
| Subjects | Topics Covered |
| Reading Comprehnesion | Based on
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| Grammar Topics |
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| Cloze Test |
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| Fill in the Blanks |
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| Error Detection |
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| Sentence Improvement |
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| Vocabulary |
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| Para Jumbles |
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| Phrase Replacement |
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| Word Usage |
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| Word Swap |
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| Sentence Rearrangement |
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IBPS Clerk Syllabus for Reasoning
The Reasoning Ability section evaluates your logical and analytical problem-solving skills. Review the essential verbal and non-verbal reasoning topics outlined in the comprehensive data table.
| IBPS Clerk Reasoning Ability Syllabus | |
| Verbal Reasoning | Non-Verbal Reasoning |
|
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| Computer | |
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IBPS Clerk Syllabus for Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus
The Quantitative Aptitude section tests your numerical efficiency and mathematical problem-solving capabilities. Explore the detailed syllabus for the Quantitative Aptitude section below:
| IBPS Clerk Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus |
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IBPS Clerk Syllabus for Computer
The Computer Knowledge section is designed to gauge your fundamental understanding of computer hardware, software, and everyday digital applications. Here is the detailed computer syllabus:
| IBPS Clerk Computer Syllabus |
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IBPS Clerk Syllabus for General/ Financial Awareness
The General Awareness section primarily focuses on current affairs, economic updates, and core banking awareness. The key topics covered in this section include the following:
| IBPS Clerk General Awareness Syllabus | |
| Current Affairs | Banking |
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Topic-wise Weightage – Prelims & Mains
Drawing from a detailed analysis of previous years' IBPS Clerk question papers, here is the expected question distribution per topic to help you optimize your study plan.
Reasoning Ability – Expected Weightage
| Topics | Expected Questions (Prelims) | Expected Questions (Mains) |
| Puzzles & Seating Arrangement | 10-15 | 15-20 |
| Syllogism | 3-5 | 3-5 |
| Inequalities | 3-5 | 3-5 |
| Coding–Decoding | 3-5 | 3-5 |
| Blood Relations | 2-3 | 2-3 |
| Direction Sense | 1-3 | 1-2 |
| Alphanumeric Series / Order & Ranking | 2-3 | 2-3 |
| Input–Output | 0-3 | 3-5 |
| Data Sufficiency | 0-2 | 2-3 |
| Computer Aptitude | -- | 5-10 |
Numerical Ability – Expected Weightage
| Topics | Expected Questions (Prelims) | Expected Questions (Mains) |
| Simplification & Approximation | 10-15 | 5-8 |
| Number Series | 5 | 5 |
| Data Interpretation (DI) | 5-10 | 15-20 |
| Quadratic Equations | 5 | 5 |
| Arithmetic (SI, CI, P&L, Time-Work, etc.) | 5-10 | 8-12 |
| Data Sufficiency | 0-3 | 3-5 |
| Miscellaneous (Probability, Mensuration, etc.) | 2-5 | 3-5 |
English Language – Expected Weightage
| Topics | Expected Questions (Prelims) | Expected Questions (Mains) |
| Reading Comprehension | 10 | 10-15 |
| Cloze Test | 5-7 | 5-10 |
| Error Detection / Spotting | 5 | 5 |
| Para Jumbles / Sentence Rearrangement | 3-5 | 5 |
| Fill in the Blanks | 3-5 | 3-5 |
| Vocabulary (Synonyms, Antonyms, etc.) | 2-5 | 3-5 |
General Awareness – Expected Weightage
| Topics | Expected Questions (Mains) |
| Banking & Financial Awareness | 20-25 |
| Current Affairs (last 6 months) | 10-15 |
| Static GK | 5-8 |
| Government Schemes & Policies | 3-5 |
| RBI, SEBI, IRDAI – Regulatory Bodies | 3-8 |
| Budget & Economic Survey | 2-4 |
| International Organizations (IMF, World Bank) | 2-3 |
| Books, Awards, Sports | 2-3 |
FAQs
Review the comprehensive IBPS Clerk Prelims & Mains Syllabus directly within this article.
Ans. There are 2 primary stages—Prelims & Mains—in the IBPS Clerk 2026 recruitment process.
Yes, there is a negative marking scheme of 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer marked in both the Prelims and Mains exams.
Yes, with dedicated preparation using the updated IBPS Clerk Syllabus and Exam Pattern, aspirants can successfully crack the exam with high scores.
No, candidate selection is conducted exclusively through the Prelims and Mains examinations.
Each of the three sections in the Prelims exam features a dedicated, fixed sectional time limit of 20 minutes.
The Language Proficiency Test (LPT) serves as the final qualifying stage of the IBPS Clerk selection process.
There are 3 stages: (1) Prelims – qualifying in nature, (2) Mains – 100% merit-based, and (3) Language Proficiency Test (LPT) – a regional language proficiency check.
No, there is no interview round for IBPS Clerk. Final selection is determined entirely by Mains marks, followed by the mandatory Language Proficiency Test (LPT).
The IBPS Clerk Prelims exam typically ranges from easy to moderate difficulty. High-scoring sections like Simplification, Number Series, and Reasoning allow well-prepared candidates to attempt 80–90 questions with 90%+ accuracy.
Recommended Reads
- IBPS Clerk 2026 Notification Out for 11,403 Vacancies, Online Application Started, Updated Mains Exam Pattern
- IBPS Clerk vs IBPS PO: Key Differences in Salary, Job Profile, and Career Growth
- IBPS Clerk Bank Preference List 2026: Participating Banks & Best Ranking Strategy
- IBPS Clerk Notification 2026 Out for 11403 Posts, Check Bank & State-wise Vacancies
- SBI Clerk vs IBPS Clerk: Which Banking Exam is Better?
- IBPS PO & SO Application Correction Window 2026: Official Link & Fees
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