IBPS Clerk (Junior Associate) Free Mock Test

The IBPS Clerk examination is the largest single recruitment route into Clerical Cadre (Junior Associate — Customer Service and Sales) positions across India's public sector banking system. IBPS runs the Common Recruitment Process for Clerks — CRP-Clerks — once every year on behalf of 11 participating public sector banks: 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. State Bank of India runs its own separate SBI Clerk CRP and is not part of IBPS. Recent CRP-Clerks cycles have advertised around 6,000-8,500 vacancies pooled across the participating banks, with state-wise vacancy disclosure (clerk recruitment is done state-wise based on candidate's state of preference and local language requirement).

Selection happens in two stages only — there is NO interview in IBPS Clerk. A Preliminary Examination (objective, screening only) is followed by the Main Examination (objective, fully merit-deciding). Mains marks alone are normalised across shifts and used to draw up the state-wise category-wise final merit list. State-wise local language proficiency (reading, writing, speaking the Opted/Local Language of the State/UT applied for) is verified during the joining formalities — a candidate who applied for Tamil Nadu vacancies must demonstrate Tamil proficiency, a candidate applying for Maharashtra must demonstrate Marathi, and so on. Failure to demonstrate the local language results in disqualification at joining despite a passing merit rank.

A Clerk joins at the Junior Associate scale with a basic pay starting at Rs 24,050 (revised under the 12th Bipartite Settlement, effective 1 November 2022, applicable to clerical cadre in nationalised banks) and a CTC of approximately Rs 4-4.5 lakh per annum including DA, HRA, transport allowance, special allowance and medical/leave perquisites. The probation period is typically 6 months, after which the Junior Associate is confirmed. Promotion to Officer Cadre (JMGS-I) is available through an internal Officers' channel after a minimum service period (typically 2-3 years) and through clearing the JAIIB and CAIIB professional exams conducted by the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF).

Who the exam suits: any graduate who wants a permanent, transferable-within-state bank job with a clear promotion ladder, and who can prove proficiency in the language of the state they apply for. The Preliminary tests English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning at speed with sectional timing; the Main adds General and Financial Awareness and Computer Aptitude and is the only stage that counts for merit. The day-to-day role is customer-facing — cash and cheque handling, account opening and KYC, passbook and locker work, cross-selling deposit and insurance products and, increasingly, guiding customers onto digital channels — so banks weight the Main's awareness and English sections accordingly.

How to use this page: the eligibility section states the age, degree and language conditions and adds a practical checklist for reading them correctly; the pattern section gives both stages with their sectional timings and negative marking; the syllabus lists the topics per section; the preparation section sets out a study plan and attempt strategy; and the dates section tracks the CRP-Clerks calendar. Since Prelims and Mains are usually only a few weeks apart, prepare both from the start and treat the Prelims as a speed rehearsal for the Mains rather than a separate exam.