IBPS Clerk Prelims Mock Test

1. Exam Overview & Participating Organizations

Full Name of Exam and Conducting Body The official name of the examination is the Common Recruitment Process for Recruitment of Clerks in Participating Banks, also referred to as CRP Clerks-XIV for the vacancies of 2025-26. The examination is conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), an autonomous body established by the Reserve Bank of India, Central Financial Institutions, and Public Sector Banks.

Total Vacancies and Participating Banks The exact total number of vacancies is not aggregated into a single figure in the notification, but the document provides an indicative state-wise and category-wise breakdown in Annexure-I for the financial year 2025-26. The provisional allotment will be made based on actual vacancies reported by the Participating Banks. The 11 participating banks are: Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India, Indian Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Punjab National Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, UCO Bank, and Union Bank of India.

2. Important Dates (Tentative or Exact)

The notification outlines the following tentative schedule for the recruitment process:

• Online Registration and Edit/Modification of Application: 01.07.2024 to 21.07.2024.
• Payment of Application Fees/Intimation Charges (Online): 01.07.2024 to 21.07.2024.
• Conduct of Pre-Examination Training (PET): 12.08.2024 to 17.08.2024.
• Download of Call Letters for Online Examination (Preliminary): August 2024.
• Online Examination (Preliminary): August 2024.
• Result of Online Examination (Preliminary): September 2024.
• Download of Call Letter for Online Examination (Main): September/October 2024.
• Online Examination (Main): October 2024.
• Provisional Allotment: April 2025.

Note: There is no Interview phase or date mentioned for the Clerical cadre.

3. Detailed Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification Candidates must hold a Degree (Graduation) in any discipline from a University recognized by the Government of India, or any equivalent qualification recognized by the Central Government. The candidate must possess a valid Mark-sheet or Degree Certificate confirming they are a graduate on the day they register, and they must indicate their graduation percentage during online registration. All educational results must have been declared on or before 21.07.2024. Proper documents from the Board/University proving the result declaration date must be submitted at the time of joining. Computer Literacy: Operating and working knowledge in computer systems is mandatory. Candidates must have a Certificate/Diploma/Degree in computer operations or language, OR they must have studied Computer/Information Technology as a subject in High School, College, or Institute. Final-Year Students: The notification strictly requires that the final result must have been declared on or before the registration deadline of 21.07.2024, implying that appearing students awaiting results are not eligible. Percentage Calculation: The percentage marks are calculated by dividing the total marks obtained by the candidate in all subjects across all semesters/years by the aggregate maximum marks (including honours, optional, and additional optional subjects) and multiplying by 100. The fraction of percentage so arrived will be ignored; for example, 59.99% will be treated as less than 60%, and 54.99% will be treated as less than 55%. Where CGPA/OGPA is awarded, it must be converted into a percentage as per the University's criteria, and documentary proof of this conversion criteria must be produced at the time of document verification.

Age Limit & Cutoff Dates As of 01.07.2024, the minimum age is 20 years, and the maximum age is 28 years. A candidate must have been born not earlier than 02.07.1996 and not later than 01.07.2004, with both dates inclusive.

Age Relaxation Rules

• Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST): 5 years.
• Other Backward Classes (OBC - Non-Creamy Layer): 3 years.
• Persons With Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): 10 years.
• Ex-Servicemen (ESM) / Disabled Ex-Servicemen (DESM): Actual period of service rendered in the defence forces plus 3 years (8 years for Disabled Ex-Servicemen belonging to SC/ST), subject to a maximum age limit of 50 years.
• Widows, Divorced Women, and Legally Separated Women (not remarried): Age concession up to 35 years for General/EWS, 38 years for OBC, and 40 years for SC/ST candidates.
• Persons affected by 1984 riots: 5 years.

Cumulative Relaxation Rule: The relaxation in the upper age limit for SC/ST/OBC candidates is allowed on a cumulative basis with only ONE of the remaining categories (PwBD, Ex-Servicemen, Widows/Divorced women, or 1984 riot-affected persons).

Nationality/Citizenship An eligible candidate must be: (i) a Citizen of India, or (ii) a subject of Nepal, or (iii) a subject of Bhutan, or (iv) a Tibetan Refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 intending to permanently settle, or (v) a person of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia) and Vietnam intending to permanently settle in India. Candidates in categories (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) must hold a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India.

Credit History/CIBIL Candidates must maintain a healthy credit history at the time of joining the participating banks. The minimum credit score is dictated by the specific bank's policy. Disqualifiers: Candidates whose CIBIL status is not updated before joining must either update it or produce a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their lender stating there are no outstanding amounts regarding adversely reflected accounts; failure to do so may result in the withdrawal or cancellation of the offer letter. Exceptions: Candidates without a bank account are not required to produce a CIBIL status, and possessing a CIBIL score is not a pre-condition to apply for the exam.

4. Exhaustive Reservation Rules (EWS & PwBD)

Economically Weaker Section (EWS) Rules & Disqualifiers Candidates whose families have a gross annual income below Rs. 8.00 lakh for the financial year prior to application qualify for EWS. Income includes salary, agriculture, business, and profession. Asset Disqualifiers: Irrespective of income, a candidate is excluded from EWS if their family owns or possesses any of the following assets:

• 5 acres of Agricultural Land and above.
• Residential flat of 1000 sq. ft. and above.
• Residential plot of 100 sq. yards and above in notified municipalities.
• Residential plot of 200 sq. yards and above in areas other than notified municipalities. The property held by a "Family" in different locations or cities will be clubbed together when applying the land or property holding test.

PwBD Categories and Definitions Reservation applies to persons with not less than 40% benchmark disability.

• Visual Impairment (VI): Includes Blindness (total absence of sight, visual acuity less than 3/60 or 10/200, or field of vision less than 10 degrees) and Low Vision (visual acuity not exceeding 6/18 or up to 3/60, or field of vision less than 40 degrees up to 10 degrees).
• Hearing Impaired (HI): Includes Deaf (70 DB hearing loss in speech frequencies) and Hard of Hearing (60 DB to 70 DB hearing loss).
• Orthopedically Challenged (OC): Includes locomotor disability resulting from musculoskeletal or nervous system afflictions, Cerebral Palsy, Leprosy Cured (with specific sensory or deformity parameters), Dwarfism (adult height of 4 feet 10 inches or less), Muscular Dystrophy, and Acid Attack Victims.
• Intellectual Disability (ID): Includes Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Specific Learning Disability (SLD), and Mental Illness (MI).
• Multiple Disabilities: Includes combinations of the above disabilities.

Scribe Rules & Compensatory Time

• Candidates must arrange their own scribe at their own cost.
• The qualification of the scribe must be one step below the qualification of the candidate taking the examination.
• The scribe can be from any academic stream.
• A scribe can act as a scribe for only ONE candidate; violating this leads to the cancellation of the candidate's application and debarment of the scribe.
• The scribe cannot be a candidate for the CRP-Clerks-XIV examination.
• If a scribe independently answers questions or prompts answers directly/indirectly, the exam session will be terminated, and the candidate will be disqualified and potentially debarred permanently.
• Compensatory Time: Eligible candidates who register for a scribe are entitled to 20 minutes of compensatory time for every hour of the examination. Visually impaired candidates, candidates with locomotor disability/cerebral palsy affecting writing speed, and ID candidates are eligible for 20 minutes per hour even without a scribe.
• Exception for Specified Disability (PwSD): Persons with less than 40% disability who have difficulty writing can use a scribe, provided they produce a specific medical certificate from a Government healthcare institution.

5. Selection Process & Cut-off Rules

Selection Process Stages The examination is a two-tier process: Online Preliminary Examination and Online Main Examination. Candidates who qualify in the Preliminary Exam and are shortlisted will appear for the Main Exam. (Note: Clerical exams do not feature an interview stage).

Cut-off Rules and Normalization

• Sectional Cut-offs: In both the Preliminary and Main examinations, candidates must qualify in each individual test by securing a minimum cut-off mark.
• Overall Cut-offs: Candidates must also secure a minimum total score to be considered for further processes, determined by the state/UT wise vacancies available.
• Normalization: Corrected scores obtained by candidates in different sessions will be normalized using the equi-percentile method. Scores are calculated up to two decimal points.
• Tie-Breaker Rules: In the event that two or more candidates obtain the same score, the merit order is decided by the date of birth, where the candidate senior in age is placed above the junior candidate.

6. Exam Pattern & Syllabus

Preliminary Examination

Main Examination

Negative Marking For both the Preliminary and Main examinations, a penalty for wrong answers applies. For each incorrectly answered question, one-fourth (0.25) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted. If a question is left blank, there is no penalty.

Descriptive Paper There is no Descriptive Paper mentioned in the exam structure for CRP Clerks.

Syllabus The official notification PDF strictly lists the subject headings (English Language, Numerical Ability, Reasoning Ability, General/Financial Awareness, Computer Aptitude, Quantitative Aptitude) without providing an exhaustive, topic-wise domain breakdown in the text.

7. The Interview Phase & Final Merit

Interview Phase As this is a recruitment for the Clerical cadre, there is no interview phase. The text explicitly states that only the marks obtained in the Online Main Examination will be considered for final merit listing.

Final Merit List The total marks allotted for the Online Main Examination are 200. For the purpose of provisional allotment, these marks will be converted out of 100. Shortlisted candidates will be provisionally allotted based on merit-cum-preference, strictly aligning with the state/UT wise vacancies reported by participating banks.

8. Application Fee, Salary & Probation

Application Fees (Inclusive of GST)

• SC/ST/PwBD/ESM/DESM candidates: Rs. 175/-.
• All other candidates: Rs. 850/-.
• Bank transaction charges for online payment must be borne by the candidate.

Salary & Probation The provided notification text does not include explicit details regarding the basic scale of pay, monetary allowances, or the length and terms of the probation period for the Clerical posts.

9. Pre-Examination Training (PET)

Eligibility: PET is arranged for a limited number of candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Minority Communities, Ex-Servicemen, and Persons With Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD). Mode of Training: The training may be conducted in either Online Mode or Physical Mode. Conditions: While the training itself is imparted free of cost, all other expenses regarding travelling, boarding, and lodging must be borne by the candidate if attending a physical centre. Attending PET does not acquire any right for the candidate to be selected in the participating banks.

10. Identity Verification & Biometric Capture Rules

Valid ID Proofs Allowed Candidates must bring a photocopy of their valid ID and the original, which must bear exactly the same name as on the call letter. Valid IDs include: PAN Card, Passport, Permanent Driving License, Voter's Card with photograph, Bank Passbook with photograph, Photo identity proof issued by a Gazetted Officer or People's Representative on official letterhead, Identity Card issued by a recognized college or university, Aadhaar/E-Aadhaar card with a photograph, Employee ID, or Bar Council Identity card with photograph.

Strictly Banned IDs Ration Card and Learner's Driving License will NOT be accepted as valid ID proof.

Rules for Name Changes Candidates who have changed their names are allowed to take the exam only if they produce an original Gazette notification, an original marriage certificate, or an original affidavit confirming the change.

Biometric Rules and Exceptions Biometric data (Right thumb impression or otherwise) and photographs will be captured and verified. Refusal to participate in biometric capture leads to cancellation of candidature.

• Coated Fingers Exception: If fingers are coated (stamped ink, mehndi, coloured), candidates must thoroughly wash them to remove the coating before the exam day.
• Dirty/Dusty Fingers Exception: Fingers must be washed and dried before the fingerprint is captured.
• Moist Fingers Exception: Both hands must be dry. If moist, candidates must wipe each finger to dry them.
• Injured Primary Finger Exception: If the right thumb is injured or damaged, the candidate must immediately notify the test centre authority. In such cases, the impression of other fingers, or even toes, may be captured.

11. Document Upload Specifications (Exhaustive Technical Details)

Photograph Specifications

• Format: Recent passport-style colour picture against a light-coloured (preferably white) background. No "red-eye", caps, hats, or dark glasses. Religious headwear is allowed but cannot cover the face.
• Dimensions: 200 x 230 pixels (preferred).
• File Size: 20kb - 50kb.
• Webcam/Mobile Requirement: In addition to the scan, candidates must capture and upload a live photograph using a webcam or mobile phone during registration.

Signature Specifications

• Format: On white paper with a Black Ink pen.
• Dimensions: 140 x 60 pixels (preferred).
• File Size: 10kb - 20kb.
• Critical Disqualifier: Signatures in CAPITAL LETTERS will NOT be accepted and will lead to application rejection.

Left Thumb Impression Specifications

• Format: On a white paper with black or blue ink, saved as jpg/jpeg.
• Dimensions: 240 x 240 pixels in 200 DPI (3 cm * 3 cm).
• File Size: 20 KB - 50 KB.
• Missing Finger Exceptions: If there is no left thumb, use the right thumb. If both thumbs are missing, use a left-hand finger starting from the forefinger. If no left fingers are available, use a right-hand finger. If no fingers are available at all, the impression of the left toe may be taken. The candidate must specify the name of the finger/toe used in the document.

Hand-written Declaration Specifications

• Format: Written clearly on white paper with black ink in English only, saved as jpg/jpeg.
• Dimensions: 800 x 400 pixels in 200 DPI (10 cm * 5 cm).
• File Size: 50 KB - 100 KB.
• Critical Disqualifier: The declaration MUST NOT BE IN CAPITAL LETTERS. If written by someone else, or in another language, the application is invalid.
• Inability to Write Exception: Candidates who cannot write may get the text typed, place their left-hand thumb impression below the typed text, and upload it.

12. Misconduct, Banned Items & Legal Acts

List of Banned Items in the Exam Hall Candidates are strictly barred from bringing the following items into the venue:

• Any stationery item like textual material, bits of paper, Geometry/Pencil Box, Plastic Pouch, Calculator, Scale, Writing Pad, Pen Drives, Log Table, Electronic Pen/Scanner.
• Any communication device like Mobile phone, Bluetooth, Earphones, Microphone, Pager, Health Band.
• Accessories like Goggles, Handbags, Hair-pin, Hair-band, Belt, Cap.
• Ornaments like Rings, Earrings, Nose-pin, Chain/Necklace, Pendants, Badge, brooch.
• Any Watch/Wrist Watch, Camera, devices with screen freeze or storage facilities, and metallic items.
• Any eatable item (opened or packed), and water bottles.

Legal Acts Mentioned and Consequences of Unfair Means The notification explicitly invokes "The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024". This act is designed to legally deter persons, organized groups, or institutions engaging in unfair means for monetary or wrongful gains. All offences under this act are cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable. Unfair means include: leaking question papers or answer keys, participating in collusion, accessing OMR sheets without authority, providing solutions, tampering with computer networks or seating arrangements, and creating fake websites or admit cards to cheat. Consequences: If a candidate is found engaging in unfair means, impersonating, misbehaving, carrying electronic devices, or obstructing the exam, they are liable to face criminal prosecution, immediate disqualification from the exam, permanent or specified-period debarment from any examination conducted by IBPS, and termination of service if they have already joined a Participating Bank.