IBPS ClerkMains 2026 — Exam Pattern & Syllabus
160 objective questions carrying 200 marks in 125 minutes, across General/Financial Awareness, General English, Reasoning Ability and Quantitative Aptitude. A minimum score is required in each test as well as a minimum total. The 200 marks are converted out of 100 for provisional allotment.
IBPS Clerk Mains objective paper, section by section
Every section is separately timed. Sections are not presented in a fixed sequence, and unused time in one section does not carry into the next.
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General / Financial Awareness | 40 | 50 |
| General English | 40 | 40 |
| Reasoning Ability | 40 | 60 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 40 | 50 |
| Total · 125 minutes | 160 | 200 |
Negative marking of one fourth (0.25) of the marks assigned applies to every wrong answer in the objective tests. Unattempted questions carry no penalty.
What changes from Prelims to Mains
Preparing for Mains as though it were a longer Prelims is the most common way candidates lose the paper. The two stages differ in scale, in scope and in what the marks are worth.
Size and time
Prelims is 100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes. Mains is 160 questions for 200 marks in 125 minutes.
Marks are not one per question
In Prelims each question carries one mark. In Mains the sections are weighted differently — General / Financial Awareness carries 50 marks for 40 questions, and General English carries 40 marks for 40 questions. A question is not worth the same everywhere.
New sections appear
Mains adds ground Prelims never tests — General, Economy, Banking and Financial Awareness is pure recall and cannot be reasoned out on exam day. Start it as a daily habit months out, not a final-week cram.
These marks decide your rank
Preliminary marks are not carried forward. Everything that determines your position in the merit list is scored here.
IBPS Clerk Mains mock tests
IBPS Clerk Mains papers in production
Every paper is built to the blueprint above and every answer is verified before it goes live, so nothing is published early.
- IBPS Clerk Mains Mock Test 1Free160 Q125 min200 marksComing soon
- IBPS Clerk Mains Mock Test 2Premium160 Q125 min200 marksComing soon
- IBPS Clerk Mains Mock Test 3Premium160 Q125 min200 marksComing soon
IBPS Clerk Mains — FAQs
What is the IBPS Clerk Mains exam pattern?
The IBPS Clerk Main Examination is an online objective test of 160 questions for 200 marks in 125 minutes, with 4 separately timed sections. There is a penalty of one fourth of the marks assigned for each wrong answer in the objective tests.
How many sections are there in IBPS Clerk Mains and how is time divided?
There are 4 objective sections, each separately timed: General / Financial Awareness (40 questions, 50 marks); General English (40 questions, 40 marks); Reasoning Ability (40 questions, 60 marks); Quantitative Aptitude (40 questions, 50 marks). Sections are not presented in a fixed sequence, and you cannot carry unused time from one section into another.
Do Preliminary marks count in the IBPS Clerk final merit?
No. The Preliminary Examination is a screening stage only. 160 objective questions carrying 200 marks in 125 minutes, across General/Financial Awareness, General English, Reasoning Ability and Quantitative Aptitude. A minimum score is required in each test as well as a minimum total. The 200 marks are converted out of 100 for provisional allotment.