Indian Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) is an apex body for human resource management. The selection and assessment process of IBPS matches the international levels. A written test for all bank related recruitment started in the year 2011. Over the years, the exam has become a benchmark for any selection process in India.
The selection through IBPS is not only limited to banks. It also extends to Public Sector Undertakings of Non-Financial Sectors, Government Departments, and state-owned companies. Apart from jobs, admission to some important universities and Management Institutes is made through IBPS.
The IBPS has announced 2557 posts for the clerical cadre. The prelims and mains exams are announced in December and January, respectively. Prelims and Mains are the 2 phases of the exam. You may check the official website of IBPS for any clarification regarding the exam. However, all details of the exam are as given.
The Examination Format
IBPS conducts all exams in Multiple Choice Questions format. The paper conducted is bilingual. The candidates will be able to answer the question paper in the Hindi language and the English language. Each right answer bears one mark. The question paper also has a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer.
The total marks for the prelims exam are 100. It consists of 3 sections, i.e., English Language (30 marks), Reasoning Ability (35 marks), and Numerical Ability (35 marks), respectively. Prelims exam is for the 1-hour duration with each section having 20 marks each.
What Goes Into the Syllabus?
The IBPS Clerk Syllabus for the prelims is broadly divided into 3 major categories:-
English Language
The English Language syllabus includes reading comprehension, vocabulary, fill in the blanks, antonyms and synonyms, sentence completion, cloze test, error detection, para jumbles, phrase replacement, inference, and connectors.
Reasoning Ability
The reasoning ability syllabus includes puzzles, distance and direction, blood relations, syllogism, order and ranking, coding and decoding, input and output, inequalities, alphanumeric series, figure series, and verbal reasoning.
Numerical Ability
The numerical ability syllabus includes data interpretation, number series, quadratic equation, simplification, approximation, percentage, simple interest, compound interest, profit and loss, averages, speed distance and time, ratio and proportion, problems on ages, data sufficiency, work, time and wages, boats and streams, pipes and cisterns, probability and permutation and combination.
The aggregate marks for the mains exam are 200. It consists of 4 sections, i.e., General Awareness (50 marks) and 35 minutes duration, General English (40 marks) and 35 minutes duration, Reasoning Ability and Computer Aptitude (60 marks) and 45 minutes duration and Quantitative Aptitude (50 marks) and 45 minutes duration respectively. The mains exam is for 160 minutes duration.
The Reasoning Ability and Computer Aptitude Section have 50 questions for 60 marks.
The Syllabus for the Mains
The IBPS Clerk syllabus for the mains exam is divided into 4 major categories:
General/ Financial Awareness
The General awareness syllabus includes Country, currency and capital, firsts in the world and India, Indian Constitution, Indian Culture, Airports and Railways, History, Geography.
A few topics from current affairs like Government Schemes, National and International Days/Weeks, Awards, Sports and Other Happenings. The syllabus emphasizes financial knowledge. The topics are related to Indian banking, including Bank Headquarters, regulatory bodies, RBI functions, Indian Financial System, Fiscal and monetary policy, and international financial organisations.
General English
The General English syllabus includes reading comprehensions, filling in the blanks, vocabulary, sentence completion, antonyms and synonyms, error detection, para jumbles, inference, connectors, and phrase replacement.
Computer Knowledge and Reasoning Ability
Computer knowledge syllabus includes topics like Microsoft Office, Computer Hardware and Software, Internet and Networking, Keyboard Shortcuts, and Abbreviations.
The reasoning Ability section would consist of alphanumeric series, syllogism, blood relations, distance and direction, verbal reasoning, figure series seating arrangements, and puzzles.
Quantitative Aptitude
This topic covers Number Series, Quadratic Equations, Data Interpretation, Tabular Charts, Simple Interest, and Compound Interest, Approximation, Simplification, Profit and Loss, Percentages, Averages, Data Sufficiency, Permutation and Combination, Ratio and Proportion, Problems on Ages, Speed, Distance and Time, Work, Time and Wages, Boats and Streams, Pipes and Cisterns.
You must check the IBPS Clerk syllabus and prepare accordingly for the exams. You may also refer to last year’s paper and other sample papers available online.
