Last Updated on: 09 Jan 2026, 08:39 AM

The Final Ascent: A Topic-wise Guide to the IBPS Clerk Mains Syllabus

The ultimate guide to the IBPS Clerk Mains Syllabus 2025. Get a detailed breakdown of key topics in Reasoning, English, Quant, and GA to secure your bank job

IBPS Clerk Mains Syllabus 2025: A Topic-wise Guide to Final Selection

You've cleared the sprint of the Prelims. Now, prepare for the climb. This guide provides a deep, strategic breakdown of the IBPS Clerk Mains syllabus to guide you to the summit of your banking career.

Congratulations on conquering the IBPS Clerk Prelims! You've proven you have the speed and accuracy to compete. But the journey is far from over. The Main Examination is the final and most decisive stage. This is where your conceptual depth, analytical skills, and endurance will be tested. Unlike the Prelims, which is a qualifying round, your score in the Mains is everything—it is the **sole factor** that will determine your place on the final merit list.

The transition from Prelims to Mains preparation requires a significant mental and strategic shift. The complexity of questions increases, a new and crucial subject of General/Financial Awareness is introduced, and the sectional timings are longer, demanding sustained focus. Simply practicing more of what you did for the Prelims will not be enough. You need to dive deeper into each topic and understand the nuances of the Mains syllabus.

This article is your detailed roadmap for this final ascent. We will dissect the syllabus of all four subjects, identify the high-priority topics, and provide the strategic insights needed to transform your preparation and secure your dream job as a bank clerk.

The Final Challenge: IBPS Clerk Mains Exam Pattern

The IBPS Clerk Mains is a single online objective test with a total duration of 160 minutes. It features four sections, each with its own separate time limit. There is no descriptive paper in the Clerk Mains exam.

For the most updated information, always refer to the official notification on the IBPS website: www.ibps.in.

The Syllabus Deconstructed: A Subject-by-Subject Deep Dive

Let's explore the critical topics within each of the four sections to build a targeted study plan.

This is the most crucial section for boosting your overall score. It requires consistent preparation over several months and is heavily focused on the banking and financial world. Unlike other sections, you can answer these 50 questions very quickly if you are well-prepared.

• Banking and Financial Awareness: This is the core of the section. You must have a strong command of:
  • The latest RBI circulars, monetary policy rates (Repo, Reverse Repo, MSF), and banking regulations.
  • History of banking in India, types of banks, and their functions.
  • Financial markets (Capital and Money Market), negotiable instruments, and banking terminology.
  • Roles and functions of institutions like RBI, SEBI, NABARD, and SIDBI.
• Current Affairs: Focus on events from the last 4-6 months, with an emphasis on:
  • National and International news, especially related to the economy.
  • Government schemes, recent appointments, awards, and sports.
  • Summits, conferences, and important national days.
• Static Awareness: This part is smaller but can provide easy marks.
  • Country capitals and currencies.
  • National parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and dams.
  • Important stadiums and airports in India.

The English section in the Mains is a significant step up from the Prelims. The focus shifts towards a deeper understanding of language, context, and inference, rather than just basic grammar.

• Reading Comprehension (RC): This is the dominant topic, with at least two or three passages (15-20 questions). The passages will be longer and more complex than in the Prelims, often dealing with economic or social themes.
• New Pattern Questions: Be prepared for advanced and new types of questions, such as:
  • Sentence Starters & Connectors: Combining two or three sentences using a given connector.
  • Match the Columns: Matching parts of sentences from two columns to form a coherent whole.
  • Word Usage: Identifying the sentence where a given word is used correctly.
• Cloze Test & Fillers: These will be more advanced, with complex vocabulary and grammatical structures.
• Error Spotting & Para Jumbles: The sentences will be longer and the errors more subtle, requiring a strong grasp of grammar and reading skills.

With 60 marks for 50 questions, this section is a high-weightage test of your logical prowess. The Computer Aptitude part is minimal, so your entire focus should be on mastering high-level reasoning puzzles.

• Puzzles and Seating Arrangements: This is the most important area, comprising a majority of the questions. The difficulty level is high.
  • Multi-variable puzzles (e.g., arranging people, their cities, and their professions).
  • Complex linear, circular, and rectangular arrangements.
  • Puzzles based on floors, boxes, or scheduling with tricky conditions.
• Logical Reasoning: This area tests your analytical mind.
  • Statement & Assumption, Statement & Inference, Course of Action.
  • Data Sufficiency questions based on reasoning topics.
• Miscellaneous Topics:
  • Input-Output (Machine Rearrangement).
  • Coded Syllogism, Inequalities, and Blood Relations.
  • Direction Sense and Alphanumeric Series (advanced patterns).
• Computer Aptitude: Expect a handful of very basic questions on topics like computer history, binary-decimal conversion, logic gates, keyboard shortcuts, and networking fundamentals.

In the Clerk Mains, this section is a balanced mix of Data Interpretation and complex Arithmetic word problems. Speed is still important, but conceptual clarity is paramount.

• Data Interpretation (DI): This is the most crucial part (15-20 questions). You must be comfortable with:
  • Caselets: Data presented in paragraph form.
  • Arithmetic-Based DI: Sets based on topics like Profit & Loss, Time & Work, etc.
  • Missing DI: Tables or charts with some missing values that you need to calculate first.
  • Standard charts like Bar Graphs, Pie Charts, and Line Graphs, but with more complex data and calculations.
• Arithmetic Word Problems: These are complex, multi-step problems from a wide range of topics. A strong foundation is necessary.
• Quantity Comparison (Q1, Q2) & Data Sufficiency: These question types test your conceptual understanding rather than just your calculation ability.

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