Exam Pattern
IBPS Clerk Exam Pattern
Institute of Banking Personnel Selection: Customer Service Associate (Clerk)
The IBPS Clerk exam pattern below is checked stage by stage, so one stage cannot inherit another stage's scoring rules.
Prelims
Official CRP CSA-XVI, 2026 pattern| Questions | 100 |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Negative marking | One-fourth of the marks assigned to the question per wrong answer |
| Sections | English Language, Numerical Ability, Reasoning Ability |
| Test | Qs | Marks | Min |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 |
Timing: 20 minutes per section.
Candidates must qualify each of the three separately timed sections. Prelims marks are used only for shortlisting; the final merit list is decided by Mains.
Official source · checked 4 August 2026The IBPS Clerk Prelims exam pattern is 100 questions carrying 100 marks, to be answered in 60 minutes. That works out to about 36 seconds per question on average, before any time spent reading instructions or revisiting marked answers. The 3 sections are English Language, Numerical Ability and Reasoning Ability. All 3 sections are separately timed, so time saved in one cannot be carried into another. You cannot bank minutes by rushing an easy section.
IBPS Clerk Prelims marking scheme
- Each correct answer is worth 1 mark.
- Worked example: attempt 80 of the 100 questions and get 60 right and 20 wrong, and you score 60 out of 100.
Practising against the same clock is the point of a mock test: at 36 seconds a question, the difference between a good score and an average one is usually pacing rather than knowledge. Attempt a free IBPS Clerk mock test to see where your time actually goes.
Mains
Review pendingCurrent secondary sources consistently confirm the 2026-revised Mains totals (160 questions, 200 marks, 125 minutes, up from a 155-question/120-minute pattern in earlier cycles, with Quantitative Aptitude specifically increased from 35 to 40 questions), but disagree with each other on the exact per-section question/marks split for Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude, English Language, and General/Financial Awareness. The official IBPS notification itself could not be independently read in this environment. Status is marked review-pending for that reason. This site's content covers Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude (50Q), Quantitative Aptitude (40Q), and English Language (40Q), 130 of the 160 official questions, each scored a flat 1 mark per correct answer (disclosed as platform-defined, since the official differential marks weighting per section is not independently confirmed); General/Financial Awareness is not built, since it needs current, fact-checked content rather than internally-verifiable calculation or language skill.
IBPS Clerk exam pattern: frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in IBPS Clerk?
IBPS Clerk deducts One-fourth of the marks assigned to the question for a wrong answer. An unattempted question always scores zero, so the choice is only ever between guessing and leaving it blank.
How many questions are there in IBPS Clerk?
IBPS Clerk has 100 questions. That leaves about 36 seconds per question in IBPS Clerk.
What are the total marks in IBPS Clerk?
IBPS Clerk is out of 100 marks.
How long is the IBPS Clerk exam?
IBPS Clerk runs for 60 minutes.
Does IBPS Clerk have a sectional time limit?
Yes. IBPS Clerk times its sections separately, so time left over in one section cannot be spent on another. Plan a per-section budget before you sit it.