MUMBAI, October 3 — The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) on Saturday published the finalized nationwide examination timetable for the Online Main Examination under the Common Recruitment Process for Clerks in Participating Banks (CRP Clerks XIV) on its official web portal (ibps.in).
According to the examination circular, candidates qualifying the preliminary screening stage will sit for the single-session Main Examination on October 18, 2026 across designated testing venues. The paper tests 190 questions aggregating 200 marks, partitioned into four rigidly timed sections: General/Financial Awareness (50 marks, 35 minutes), General English (40 marks, 35 minutes), Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude (60 marks, 45 minutes), and Quantitative Aptitude (50 marks, 45 minutes). A negative marking penalty of 0.25 marks applies per incorrect response.
IBPS reiterated that under central guidelines for Group 'C' clerical appointments, no interview is administered. The provisional merit allocation against 6,128 vacancies across 11 Public Sector Banks (PSBs) is computed by converting scores secured in the 200-mark Mains examination to a 100-point normalized index, contingent upon passing the Local Language Proficiency Test (LPT) of the recruited state.
The administrative evolution of IBPS (originally established in 1975 as Personnel Selection Services under NIBM and incorporated autonomously in 1984), the nationalization history of scheduled commercial banks, consumer grievance redressal under the Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme 2021, and preparation mechanics for financial awareness are focal areas for banking aspirants.