Official Exam Guide

IBPS Clerk (Prelims & Mains) Syllabus Exam Pattern

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IBPS Clerk (Prelims & Mains) Syllabus Exam Pattern

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The IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2026 describes all the subjects and topics candidates need to prepare for the Preliminary and Main examinations held for the Customer Service Associate (CSA) post. Knowing the latest syllabus helps the candidates to prepare in the right direction and concentrate on the most important topics.

The Preliminary Exam has 3 sections as English Language, Reasoning Ability & Numerical Ability. The Main Examination comprises of Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and General/Financial Awareness. Some topics are common for both stages but Main Exam is more advanced and tests candidates on more concepts. 

IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2026 and Exam Pattern

Candidates should go through the latest IBPS Clerk Syllabus and Exam Pattern before starting their preparation. Everything related to syllabus and paper pattern are given in the table below. 

IBPS Clerk Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026

Exam Conducting Body

Institute of Banking Personnel Selection

Exam Name

IBPS Clerk 2026

Category

Syllabus & Exam Pattern

No. of Questions

Prelims – 100

Mains – 160

Maximum Marks

Prelims – 100

Mains – 200

Negative Marking

0.25 marks for each wrong answer

Selection Process

Preliminary Exam & Main Exam

Official Website

www.ibps.in

IBPS Clerk Exam Pattern 2026

The IBPS Clerk has 2 stages of selection – Prelims and Mains. Both are online objective tests, with multiple choice questions based on sections like English, Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. The Prelims is a qualifying exam. The Mains examination is the last stage of selection process. You have to get minimum cut off marks in each section as decided by IBPS. 

IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

Being the preliminary stage in the IBPS Clerk selection process, IBPS Clerk Prelims exam holds an important significance for the candidates. Those who qualify this are allowed to give the mains exam. It consists of 3 sections: English Language, Numerical Ability and Reasoning Ability. Each section is separately timed for 20 minutes. 

Name of Tests

No. of Questions

Maximum Marks

Time Allotted for Each Test (Separately Timed)

English Language

30

30

20 minutes

Numerical Ability

35

35

20 minutes

Reasoning Ability

35

35

20 minutes

Total

100

100

60 minutes

What is the Mains exam pattern of IBPS Clerk?

The mains exam is the second stage of the selection process. It includes four sections with a total of 160 questions for 200 marks. Each section is separately timed, and marks obtained in the exam are considered for the final selection.

Name of Tests

No. of Questions

Maximum Marks

Time Allotted for Each Test (Separately Timed)

General/ Financial Awareness

40

50

20 minutes

General English

40

40

35 minutes

Reasoning Ability

40

60

35 minutes

Quantitative Aptitude

40

50

35 minutes

Total

160

200

125 minutes

IBPS Clerk Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT)

Candidates applying for IBPS Clerk vacancies in any specific State or Union Territory must be proficient in the local language of that region. To assess this proficiency, the selection process also includes a Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT).

  • The Local Language Proficiency Test is only qualifying in nature.
  • At the time of online application, candidates must select one local language from the list provided for each State/UT.
  • Those who have studied the local language in their 10th standard or above (as evidenced by a mark sheet or certificate) will be exempted from the test.
  • This test will be conducted after the Online Main Examination but before final joining.
  • Failure to clear this test will result in disqualification from the recruitment process

IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2026

The IBPS Clerk Syllabus for Prelims and Mains Exam is same for English Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. The IBPS Clerk Mains Syllabus has an additional section of General & Financial Awareness. To prepare in a proper way, you need to know the subject-wise IBPS Clerk Prelims Syllabus and Mains Syllabus. This will help you to find out the important topics and your strong and weak points so that you can improve your score.  

IBPS Clerk Syllabus for English Language

The English Language section of the IBPS Clerk 2026 syllabus for Prelims & Mains assesses a candidate’s English ability. The syllabus topics are related to grammar, vocabulary & comprehension. 

IBPS Clerk English Syllabus

Idioms and Phrases

Synonyms

Multiple Meaning

Antonyms

Error Spotting

Active & Passive Voice

Preposition Rules

Direct & Indirect Speech

Reading Comprehension

Spellings

Tenses Rules

Phrases

Cloze Test (Fill in the Blanks)

Noun, Pronoun

Jumbled Paragraphs

Adjective, Adverb

IBPS Clerk Syllabus for Reasoning Ability

Reasoning section has good weightage in both IBPS Clerk Prelims Syllabus and Mains Syllabus. The goal of this section is to measure the candidate’s ability for logic and analysis. Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Coding-Decoding, Syllogism and some of the topics covered in the Reasoning syllabus of IBPS Clerk. 

IBPS Clerk Reasoning Syllabus

Logical Reasoning

Alphanumeric Series

Alphabetic Series

Tabulation

Order and Ranking

Time & Distance

Data Sufficiency

Clocks & Calendars

Coded Inequalities

Blood Relations

Direction Sense Test

Analogy

Seating Arrangements

Puzzles

Syllogism

Coding & Decoding

Also, Check the IBPS Clerk Previous year Question Papers here.

IBPS Clerk Numerical Ability Syllabus

The Numerical Ability Syllabus for IBPS Clerk tests the candidate’s skills in basic mathematics and statistics. It covers topics such as simplification, number series, data interpretation etc. Refer the IBPS Clerk Maths syllabus below. 

IBPS Clerk Syllabus for Numerical Ability

Data Interpretation

Mensuration - Cone, Sphere, Cylinder

Ratio and Proportion

Number Systems

Percentage

HCF & LCM

Sequences and Series

Surds and Indices

Permutation and Combination

Problem on Ages

Probability

Fractions 

Profit and Loss

Geometry

Quadratic Equations

Trigonometry

Approximation and Simplification

Linear Equations

Mixtures and Alligations

Simple Interest & Compound Interest

Take IBPS Clerk Mock Test for practice here!

IBPS Clerk Mains Syllabus 2026

The IBPS Clerk Mains syllabus for English, Reasoning, and Numerical Ability is similar to that of Prelims. However, the difficulty level is much higher in this phase. The only difference in the syllabus is for the General/Financial Awareness section. The IBPS bank clerk syllabus for the same has been detailed in the following section.

IBPS Clerk Mains Syllabus 2026 for General/Financial Awareness 

The IBPS Clerk Mains Syllabus has only one extra topic, the General and Financial Awareness. The syllabus is designed to test the General knowledge and finance knowledge of the candidates. IBPS Clerk Exam syllabus for Mains covers topics like Current affairs, GDP, Economic Indices, Financial Institutions & Instruments and so on.

IBPS Clerk Mains Syllabus: General & Banking Awareness

Science – Inventions & Discoveries

Common Abbreviations (Computers, Organisations, Schemes, etc)

Current Important Events

GDP & Economic Indices

Current Affairs – National & International

SEBI & its functions

">Awards and Honours

Banking Terminology viations

Economic News

Basics of Computers & Internet

Banking News

Banking Instruments

Indian Constitution

History of banking in India

Books and Authors

Types of banks (Public, Private, RRBs, Payment Banks, Small Finance Banks)

Important Days

NBFCs – meaning and types

History

Banking Products & Services: Types of accounts, Loans & advances, Priority Sector Lending (PSL), Retail banking, Wholesale banking, Digital banking

Geography

Payment Systems: NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, UPI, BHIM, AEPS, Digital wallets, Payment gateways

Countries and Currencies

Government Schemes Related to Banking: PMJDY, PMMY (Mudra), Stand-Up India, PM SVANidhi, PMJJBY, PMSBY, Atal Pension Yojana

Insurance & Pension: IRDAI roles, Types of insurance, LIC basics, NPS and PFRDA

Important Financial & Government Reports

Types of financial instruments: Shares, Bonds, Debentures, Mutual Funds

International Banking: Bretton Woods institutions – IMF, World Bank, SWIFT, LIBOR, Basel–I, II, III

IBPS Clerk Mains Syllabus for Computer Aptitude 

Questions on Computer Awareness are often asked in the Mains Exam to assess the candidate's knowledge of basic computer applications, internet, and social media. The topics included are:

IBPS Clerk Computer Aptitude Syllabus

Microsoft Office

Computer Abbreviations

Computer Network

Keyboard Shortcuts

Input and Output Devices

Email

Components of Computer

Social Media advantages & disadvantages

Computer Storage Devices

MS Word basics

Internet

MS Excel basics

OSI Model

MS PowerPoint basics

Is there Negative Marking in the IBPS Clerk Exam?

Yes, negative marking is there in IBPS Clerk Prelims and Mains. For every wrong answer you will lose 0.25 marks. Questions not attempted will not be penalised. Therefore, attempt only those questions in which you are sure, to avoid loss of marks. IBPS Clerk Syllabus Syllabus & Exam Pattern To Know the Topics you need to Focus for the Exam.

Check out IBPS Clerk Exam Syllabus Books list for Prelims!

This was the overall detail regarding the IBPS Clerk Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026. In the case of more queries, drop your doubts in the comments section below. You can get our official PrepMe247 app from the Google Play store for free and start taking your preparation for the IBPS Clerk exam. You will get the amazing facilities of live classes, mock exams, quizzes, and expert suggestions. Start your preparation today

Frequently Asked Questions

How many vacancies are announced for IBPS Clerk 2026?

IBPS has released a total of 11403 vacancies for the IBPS Clerk Recruitment 2026.

What is the IBPS Clerk Exam Pattern 2026?

The pattern has two stages: Prelims and Mains. Both are online with objective questions on English, Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude. Mains adds Financial Awareness.

What is the selection process for IBPS Clerk 2026 recruitment?

The IBPS Clerk 2026 selection process involves Prelims and Mains exams only; there is no interview round.

Has the IBPS Clerk Mains Pattern changed in 2026?

Yes. The new Mains has 160 questions for 200 marks, to finish in 125 minutes.

Who can apply for IBPS Clerk 2026 exam?

Graduates aged between 20 to 28 years can apply for IBPS Clerk recruitment 2026.

What topics are included in the IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2026?

The IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2026 includes Reasoning Ability, Numerical Ability, and English Language for Prelims. The Mains syllabus expands to include General/Financial Awareness.

What is the fee for IBPS Clerk application form 2026?

For General/OBC/EWS, the fee is ₹850, while SC/ST/PwD candidates must pay ₹175.

Is the syllabus for IBPS Clerk and PO same?

The syllabus for IBPS PO is slightly different from the syllabus of IBPS Clerk. 

Is the IBPS Clerk exam conducted in regional languages?

Yes, the IBPS Clerk 2026 exam will be held in 13 regional languages, along with English and Hindi.

What are the important topics for IBPS Clerk English syllabus?

The English language syllabus for IBPS Clerk exam includes the following topics: Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Spotting, Sentence Correction/Improvement, Para Jumbles, Vocabulary (Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms, etc.), Phrasal Verbs, Idioms and Phrases, One-word Substitution, Fill in the Blanks, Sentence Completion.

What is the official website for IBPS Clerk 2026 registration?

Candidates must apply online through the official IBPS website: www.ibps.in.

What are the important topics for IBPS Clerk Reasoning syllabus?

The IBPS Clerk reasoning syllabus includes topics such as verbal reasoning (analogy, classification, coding-decoding, etc.) and non-verbal reasoning (series, analogy, mirror images, etc.). Other topics include blood relations, direction sense test, logical Venn diagrams, alphabet test, sitting arrangement, and ranking and time sequence test.

What does CSA mean in IBPS Clerk CRP XVI Notification?

CSA stands for Customer Service Associate, which is the new designation for the Clerk post under the latest notification.

Is local language proficiency compulsory as per the IBPS Clerk Notification 2026?

Yes, candidates must be proficient in the local language of the State/UT they are applying for, as per the IBPS Clerk 2026 guidelines.

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