IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2026: The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts the IBPS Clerk/Customer Service Associate (CSA) recruitment examination for clerical-level posts in participating public sector banks. For 2026, the recruitment is being conducted under CRP-CSA-XVI. IBPS has officially notified CRP-CSA-XVI, and the tentative calendar schedules the Preliminary Examination for 10 and 11 October 2026 and the Main Examination for 27 December 2026. Candidates preparing for IBPS Clerk 2026 should understand the complete syllabus, section-wise exam pattern, important topics, marking scheme and selection procedure before starting their preparation. IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2026 PDF Download – Latest Exam Pattern & Subject-wise Details.
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
Post Name
IBPS Clerk/Customer Service Associate (CSA)
Total Post
11,403 Posts
Advt. No.
CRP CSA XVI
Apply Last Date
28 August 2026
Job Location
All Over India
Apply Mode
Online
Official Website
www.ibps.in
IBPS Clerk 2026 Exam Pattern
The IBPS Clerk examination is conducted in two stages:
Preliminary Examination
Main Examination
There is no interview for the IBPS Clerk/CSA recruitment process. Candidates who qualify for the Preliminary Examination are shortlisted for the Main Examination, and the final selection is based on the Main Examination and subsequent provisional allotment, subject to the conditions prescribed by IBPS.
IBPS Clerk Preliminary Exam Pattern
The Preliminary Examination consists of three sections with a total of 100 questions for 100 marks. Each section is separately timed for 20 minutes.
The official IBPS clerk pattern specifies 30 questions in English Language, 35 in Numerical Ability and 35 in Reasoning Ability.
Test
No. of Questions
Max. Marks
Duration
English Language
30
30
20 minutes
Numerical Ability
35
35
20 minutes
Reasoning Ability
35
35
20 minutes
Total
100
100
60 minutes
IBPS Clerk Main Exam Pattern 2026
The Main Examination consists of 155 questions carrying 200 marks, with a total duration of 120 minutes. The sections are separately timed. The official pattern provides 40 questions each in General/Financial Awareness, General English and Reasoning Ability, and 35 questions in Quantitative Aptitude.
Test
No. of Questions
Max. Marks
Duration
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 Key Pattern Details
Negative Marking: 0.25 marks deducted for every wrong answer in both Prelims and Main. No penalty for unattempted questions.
Medium of Exam: English Language / General English is tested only in English. Other sections may be attempted in English, Hindi, or the specified regional language of the applied State/UT.
Normalization: Scores across different exam sessions/shifts are normalized using the equi-percentile method.
IBPS Clerk Syllabus 2026
IBPS does not publish a detailed topic-wise syllabus in its official notification — only the exam pattern (subjects, number of questions, marks, and timing) is specified.
The topic breakdown below reflects the prescribed subjects and consistent patterns seen in recent IBPS Clerk examinations.
Preliminary Exam Syllabus:
English Language: Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Detection / Sentence Improvement, Fillers, Vocabulary, Sentence Rearrangement, Para-jumbles, Word Swap / Rearrangement, Idioms & Phrases, Word Usage, Connectors / Starters.
Quantitative Aptitude: Approximation, Number Series, Quadratic Equations, Arithmetic topics (Ratio-Proportion, Percentage, Average, Ages, Partnership, Mixtures, SI/CI, Time & Work, Pipes & Cisterns, Profit & Loss, Speed-Time-Distance, Boats & Streams, Trains, Mensuration, Probability, Permutation & Combination), Data Interpretation (including caselet and mixed DI), Data Sufficiency.
General / Financial Awareness: Banking and Financial Awareness (RBI functions, monetary policy, banking terms), Current Affairs (national, international, state), Government Schemes, Static Awareness (headquarters, currencies, etc.), Sports News, Books & Authors, Important Days, Awards & Honours, Appointments, Obituaries, Union Budget, Economic Survey, Committees/Reports/Indexes.
IBPS Clerk Selection Process 2026
Stage 1: Preliminary Examination:
Candidates first appear for the online Preliminary Examination. It consists of English Language, Numerical Ability and Reasoning Ability.
Candidates must qualify the required sectional and overall criteria to be shortlisted for Mains.
Stage 2: Main Examination:
Candidates shortlisted from Prelims appear for the Main Examination. It consists of General/Financial Awareness, General English, Reasoning Ability and Quantitative Aptitude. The Main Examination carries 200 marks.
Stage 3: Provisional Allotmen:
After the Main Examination, candidates are considered for provisional allotment to participating banks based on the applicable vacancies, merit, preferences and other conditions specified by IBPS. The IBPS 2026-27 calendar identifies CRP-CSA-XVI as the Customer Service Associate recruitment process.
IBPS Clerk 2026 Preparation Tips
Candidates should begin preparation with a clear understanding of the syllabus and exam pattern. For Prelims, focus on speed and accuracy, as every section has a separate 20-minute time limit. For Mains, candidates should give additional attention to General/Financial Awareness because current banking and financial affairs can significantly affect the overall score.
A good preparation strategy should include daily practice of reasoning puzzles, arithmetic questions, English comprehension and vocabulary, along with regular revision of banking awareness and current affairs.
Candidates should also solve previous-year question papers and take mock tests under timed conditions.
IBPS Clerk 2026 Important Note
IBPS has officially listed CRP-CSA-XVI for the 2026 recruitment cycle. The official calendar currently schedules the Preliminary Examination for 10–11 October 2026 and the Main Examination for 27 December 2026; IBPS also states that examination dates and modalities may be changed for administrative or other reasons.
IBPS Clerk 2026 Important Links
IBPS Clerk 2026 Syllabus and Exam Pattern PDF Download
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