IBPS Clerk (CSA) - Pattern, Syllabus & Mock Tests
IBPS Clerk is the common recruitment process for Customer Service Associates (CSA), the clerical cadre post in 11 participating public sector banks. The latest notification is CRP CSA-XVI, issued on 1 August 2026 for vacancies of 2027-28. Selection is an Online Preliminary Examination, an Online Main Examination and State/UT-wise provisional allotment, followed by a qualifying local language test; there is no interview. Prelims has 100 questions in 60 minutes, with a separate 20-minute timer and a separate cut-off for each of three tests. The guide and mocks here are for Prelims.
Under 10 minutes · no account needed · real percentile at the end
What is the IBPS Clerk exam pattern?
Prelims has English Language (30), Numerical Ability (35) and Reasoning Ability (35), one mark each, with 20 minutes for each test and 60 minutes in all. One fourth of the marks of a question is deducted for a wrong answer. You must clear the cut-off IBPS sets in each of the three tests, and Prelims marks are used only to shortlist for Mains. Mains has 160 questions for 200 marks in 125 minutes: General/Financial Awareness (40 questions, 50 marks), General English (40, 40), Reasoning Ability (40, 60) and Quantitative Aptitude (40, 50). Only Mains marks count for final merit.
| Section | Questions | Max Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 |
Full exam pattern: Tier-wise marks, timers and qualifying rules →
What is the IBPS Clerk syllabus?
IBPS names the tests but publishes no topic-wise syllabus in the notification, so the list here is our checklist. English Language: reading comprehension, error spotting, sentence improvement, fillers, cloze test, sentence rearrangement and vocabulary. Numerical Ability: simplification and approximation, number series, quadratic equations, data interpretation and arithmetic such as percentage, ratio, average, profit and loss, interest, time and work, and time, speed and distance. Reasoning Ability: puzzles and seating arrangement, syllogism, inequality, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction, order and ranking, and alphanumeric series. General/Financial Awareness is asked only in Mains.
Complete syllabus, subject by subject →
What is a good IBPS Clerk cut-off?
IBPS decides a cut-off for each of the three Prelims tests and then shortlists candidates State/UT-wise and category-wise for Mains; the notification fixes no qualifying percentage. In Mains you need a minimum score in each test and in total. As of 13 November 2026 IBPS has published no cut-off marks in a document we could open, for CRP CSA-XVI or the previous cycle, so none are quoted here. Scores are normalised by the equi-percentile method when there is more than one session.
Official cut-offs and vacancies →
How should I prepare for IBPS Clerk?
Each Prelims test has its own 20-minute timer and its own cut-off, so no section can be skipped. That leaves about 34 seconds a question in Numerical Ability and Reasoning and 40 seconds in English. No calculator is allowed, so build calculation speed first. With a 0.25 penalty a guess breaks even at one right in five; guess only after removing an option. General/Financial Awareness is a quarter of the Mains marks and is not in Prelims, so start it early. Reasoning is the largest block in both stages.
Preparation strategy built on the marks and timers →
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are there in IBPS Clerk Prelims?
100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes: English Language 30, Numerical Ability 35 and Reasoning Ability 35. Each test has a separate 20-minute timer.
What is the negative marking in IBPS Clerk?
One fourth (0.25) of the marks assigned to the question is deducted for each wrong answer, in both Prelims and Mains. Blank questions carry no penalty.
What is the age limit for IBPS Clerk?
20 to 28 years as on 1 August 2026 under CRP CSA-XVI, with 5 years relaxation for SC and ST, 3 years for OBC (non-creamy layer) and 10 years for persons with benchmark disabilities.
What is the qualification for IBPS Clerk?
A degree in any discipline, with the result declared on or before 21 August 2026 for CRP CSA-XVI. Computer literacy and proficiency in the local language of the State or UT applied for are also required.
Is there an interview in IBPS Clerk?
No interview is described in the CRP CSA-XVI notification. Final merit is based only on the Online Main Examination, followed by a qualifying local language proficiency test for those who did not study the language in Class 10 or above.