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Bank Exam Syllabus & Pattern: IBPS, SBI, RRB – PO & Clerk

  

Bank Exam Syllabus & Pattern: IBPS, SBI, RRB – PO & Clerk

Every year, millions of candidates across India appear for bank exams, mostly chasing stable careers, decent pay, and the social status that comes with a bank job. These exams are mainly conducted by IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection), SBI (State Bank of India), RBI (Reserve Bank of India), and NABARD. 

Each of them runs separate recruitment for posts like PO (Probationary Officer), Clerk, Specialist Officer, and Grade A/B officers. Though exam pattern and syllabus has remained largely the same for years, IBPS has announced minor weightage changes from 2025 in the exam pattern.

Major Bank Exams in India

Exam

Conducting Body

Popular Posts

IBPS PO

IBPS

PO

IBPS Clerk

IBPS

Clerk

SBI PO

SBI

PO

SBI Clerk

SBI

Clerk

RBI Grade B

RBI

Grade B Officer

NABARD Grade A

NABARD

Assistant Manager (Grade A)

IBPS RRB

IBPS

Officer Scale I, II, III; Clerk

Bank Exam Pattern

Bank exams in India follow a multi-stage selection process:

  • Preliminary Exam (Prelims) – Screening round
  • Main Exam (Mains) – Core evaluation stage
  • Interview / Final Stage – For officer-level posts only

1. Prelims (for PO & Clerk exams)

  • Objective-type test
  • Acts as a qualifying round (scores not counted in final merit)
  • Sections usually include:
    • English Language
    • Reasoning Ability
    • Quantitative Aptitude
  • Duration: ~60 minutes (20 mins per section)
  • Negative marking: Yes (0.25 marks deducted for wrong answers)

2. Mains

  • More detailed and weighted in the final selection
  • Includes additional sections like:
    • General/Banking Awareness
    • Computer Aptitude (clubbed with Reasoning in many exams)
    • Descriptive Test (in PO-level exams like SBI/IBPS PO)
  • Sectional timing is enforced
  • Negative marking continues

3. Interview / Language Proficiency Test (LPT)

  • Interview: Only for PO/Officer-level exams (IBPS PO, SBI PO, RBI Grade B)
    • Typically 20–30 minutes
    • Focus on current affairs, banking awareness, and personality-based questions
  • LPT: For Clerk-level exams (SBI Clerk, IBPS Clerk)
    • Candidates must prove proficiency in the local language

📝 Points to Note:

  • Clerk exams do not have interviews. Final selection is based on Mains score + LPT.
  • Descriptive Tests are introduced only in PO/Officer-level exams (Essay + Letter Writing).
  • Computer Aptitude is often merged with Reasoning in Mains.

Bank Exam Syllabus: Section-wise

The core syllabus across most bank exams revolves around five major subjects:

  1. English Language
  2. Quantitative Aptitude
  3. Reasoning Ability
  4. General/Banking Awareness
  5. Computer Aptitude (mainly in mains, merged with reasoning in many exams)

1. English Language

Common in both Prelims and Mains

  • Reading Comprehension (RC)
  • Cloze Test
  • Error Spotting / Sentence Correction
  • Para Jumbles / Sentence Rearrangement
  • Fill in the Blanks
  • Vocabulary (Synonyms/Antonyms)
  • Phrase Replacement
  • Match the Column (advanced)

🔍 Focus: Speed reading, grammar, and elimination skills

2. Quantitative Aptitude

Common in Prelims and Mains (more advanced in Mains)

  • Simplification/Approximation
  • Number Series
  • Data Interpretation (Bar, Pie, Line, Caselet)
  • Quadratic Equations
  • Arithmetic Word Problems:
    • Profit & Loss
    • Time, Speed & Distance
    • Time & Work
    • Simple & Compound Interest
    • Ratio, Proportion, and Averages
    • Partnership
    • Mixtures & Allegations
    • Mensuration
    • Probability & Permutation

🔍 Focus: Calculation, speed, accuracy, and DI

3. Reasoning Ability

Logical and analytical thinking tested heavily

  • Puzzles (Box, Floor, Day/Month-Based)
  • Seating Arrangement (Linear, Circular, Square)
  • Syllogisms
  • Coding-Decoding
  • Blood Relations
  • Inequality (Direct & Coded)
  • Input-Output
  • Direction Sense
  • Order & Ranking
  • Statement-Conclusion / Statement-Assumption
  • Data Sufficiency (mostly in mains)

🔍 Focus: Logic patterns, multi-layer reasoning, time management

4. General Awareness / Banking Awareness

Appears only in Mains for most exams

  • Current Affairs (past 4–6 months)
  • Banking & Financial Awareness:
    • RBI Functions
    • Monetary Policy tools
    • Financial terms (NPA, CRR, SLR, etc.)
    • Payment systems (UPI, NEFT, RTGS)
    • Important Banking Acts
  • Static GK:
    • Country capitals/currencies
    • National parks, important days, etc.

🔍 Focus: Daily news reading + monthly compilations

5. Computer Aptitude

Mostly merged with Reasoning in Mains (IBPS, SBI)

  • Basics of Computers & Hardware
  • Internet & Networking
  • MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Operating Systems
  • Email basics
  • Cyber Security Awareness

🔍 Focus: Concepts, not coding, just enough to be workplace-ready

Note: The difficulty level of these topics can vary depending on:

  • Whether it’s Prelims or Mains
  • Whether it’s a Clerk or PO level exam


Exam-wise Syllabus & Pattern Breakdown

A. IBPS PO (Probationary Officer)

Selection Process:

  1. Prelims
  2. Mains
  3. Interview

IBPS PO Prelims Pattern:

Section

Qs

Marks

Time

English Language

30

30

20 min

Quantitative Aptitude

35

30

20 min

Reasoning Ability

35

40

20 min

Total

100

100

60 min

IBPS PO Mains Pattern:

Section

Qs

Marks

Time

Reasoning & Computer Aptitude

40

60

50 min

General / Economy / Banking

35

50

25 min

English Language

35

40

40 min

Data Analysis & Interpretation

35

50

45 min

Descriptive (Essay + Letter)

2

25

30 min

Total

147

225

~3.5 hrs

Interview Weightage: 100 marks (combined with Mains score for final selection)

B. SBI PO (Probationary Officer)

Selection Process:

  1. Prelims
  2. Mains
  3. Psychometric Test + Interview

SBI PO Prelims Pattern – Same as IBPS PO

SBI PO Mains Pattern:

Section

Qs

Marks

Time

Reasoning & Computer Aptitude

40

50

50 min

Data Analysis & Interpretation

30

50

45 min

General / Economy / Banking

50

60

45 min

English Language

35

40

40 min

Descriptive Test

2

50

30 min

Total

157

250

~3.5 hrs
  • Psychometric Test (qualifying): Personality profiling (no scores counted)
  • Interview + GD: Final stage (combined with Mains for merit)

C. IBPS Clerk

Selection Process:

  1. Prelims
  2. Mains
  3. Language Proficiency Test (LPT)

Prelims Pattern: Same as IBPS PO

Mains Pattern:

Section

Qs

Marks

Time

Reasoning & Computer Aptitude

50

60

45 min

General/Financial Awareness

50

50

35 min

Quantitative Aptitude

50

50

45 min

English Language

40

40

35 min

Total

190

200

160 min
  • No interview
  • LPT for language verification (regional language of posting)

D. SBI Clerk

Selection Process:

  1. Prelims
  2. Mains
  3. Language Proficiency Test

Prelims Pattern: Same as others

Mains Pattern: Slight variation in number of questions compared to IBPS Clerk

Section

Qs

Marks

Time

Reasoning & Computer Aptitude

50

60

45 min

General/Financial Awareness

50

50

35 min

Quantitative Aptitude

50

50

45 min

English Language

40

40

35 min

Total

190

200

160 min

E. RBI Grade B (General)

Selection Process:

  1. Phase 1
  2. Phase 2
  3. Interview

Phase 1 Pattern:

Section

Qs

Marks

Time

General Awareness

80

80

English Language

30

30

Quantitative Aptitude

30

30

Reasoning Ability

60

60

Total

200

200

120 min

Phase 2 Pattern:

Paper

Type

Marks

Duration

Economic & Social Issues

Objective

100

90 min

English (Writing Skills)

Descriptive

100

90 min

Finance & Management

Objective

100

90 min
  • Interview: 75 marks
  • Final selection = Phase 2 + Interview marks

F. NABARD Grade A (Generalist)

Selection Process:

  1. Prelims
  2. Mains
  3. Interview

Prelims Pattern:

  • 8 sections including Quant, Reasoning, English, GA, Agri & Rural Dev, Eco & Soc. Issues
  • Composite test: 120 minutes

Mains Pattern:

Paper

Type

Subject

Marks

Time

Paper I

Descriptive

English

100

90 min

Paper II

Objective

ARD + ESI (Generalist)

100

90 min

Interview: 50 marks

Bank Exams: Pattern & Structure Comparison

Exam

Prelims

Mains

Descriptive Test

Interview

Unique Sections / Features

IBPS PO

✅

✅

✅ (25 marks)

✅ (100 marks)

Computer Aptitude in Mains

SBI PO

✅

✅

✅ (50 marks)

✅ (incl. GD)

Psychometric Test (qualifying)

IBPS Clerk

✅

✅

❌

❌

Language Proficiency Test (LPT)

SBI Clerk

✅

✅

❌

❌

LPT + Slightly higher difficulty in Mains

RBI Grade B

✅

✅

✅ (English Writing)

✅ (75 marks)

Paper on Economics + Finance in Phase 2

NABARD Grade A

✅

✅

✅ (English Writing)

✅ (50 marks)

Agri & Rural Development + ESI in Mains

Points to Note:

  • Clerk-level exams (IBPS/SBI Clerk) don’t have interviews.
  • Descriptive English is included only in Officer-level exams.
  • RBI and NABARD have more academic-oriented papers (eco, finance, agriculture).
  • Computer Aptitude is tested in PO & Clerk exams, mostly clubbed with Reasoning.

Explore important topics for bank exams to get started with your preparation. We have also marked most important topics for different exams (marked as “Y”).

Bank Exams: Syllabus Comparison

Quantitative Aptitude

Sr No

Topics

SBI PO

SBI Clerk

IBPS PO

IBPS Clerk

RRB PO

RRB Clerk

1

Algebra

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

2

Averages and Mixture

Y

Y

Y

Y

3

Data Interpretation

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

4

Data Sufficiency

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

5

Interest

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

6

Mensuration

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

7

Number Series

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

8

Percentages

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

9

Profit, Loss and Partnership

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

10

Ratio & Proportion

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

11

Simplification

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

12

Speed, Time and Distance

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

13

Time and Work

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Logical Reasoning

Sr No

Topic wise Reasoning Questions

SBI PO

SBI Clerk

IBPS PO

IBPS Clerk

RRB PO

RRB Clerk

1

Arrangement and Pattern

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

2

Blood Relations

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

3

Coding Decoding

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

4

Data Sufficiency

Y

Y

Y

5

Direction Sense

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

6

Input Output

Y

Y

Y

7

Mathematical Inequality

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

8

Order and Ranking

Y

Y

Y

Y

9

Puzzles

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

10

Seating Arrangements

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

11

Syllogism

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

12

Statement & Conclusion

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

English (Verbal Ability)

Sr. No.

Topic wise Verbal Questions

SBI PO

SBI Clerk

IBPS PO

IBPS Clerk

RRB PO

RRB Clerk

1

Cloze Test

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

2

Find Error

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

3

Fill in the blanks

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

4

Parajumbles

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

5

Reading Comprehension

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

6

Idiom Phrases

Y

Y

Y

Y

IBPS, SBI, RRB PO & Clerk Exams


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