Exam Pattern
Mains Sections: Merit & Qualifying
The Mains merit list uses only Professional Knowledge. English, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude and the Descriptive Paper are qualifying: you need IBPS's minimum in each, and they don't add to merit.
| Section | Questions | Marks/Q | −ve Marks | Max Marks | Time | Counts for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 1 | −0.25 | 30 | 25 min | Qualifying |
| Reasoning | 40 | 1 | −0.25 | 40 | 35 min | Qualifying |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 30 | 1 | −0.25 | 30 | 25 min | Qualifying |
| Professional Knowledge | 50 | 2 | −0.50 | 100 | 40 min | Merit |
| English Descriptive | 2 | Essay + letter | None | 25 | 30 min | Qualifying |
| Total | 150 + 2 | — | — | 225 | 155 min | One sitting |
English Language 25 min
Questions
30
Max Marks
30
Marks/Q
1
Negative
−0.25
Counts for
Qualifying
Reasoning 35 min
Questions
40
Max Marks
40
Marks/Q
1
Negative
−0.25
Counts for
Qualifying
Quantitative Aptitude 25 min
Questions
30
Max Marks
30
Marks/Q
1
Negative
−0.25
Counts for
Qualifying
Professional Knowledge 40 min
Questions
50
Max Marks
100
Marks/Q
2
Negative
−0.50
Counts for
Merit
English Descriptive 30 min
Questions
2
Max Marks
25
Marks/Q
Essay + letter
Negative
None
Counts for
Qualifying
Total
150 + 2 Qs · 225 Marks · 155 min
Note: Pattern as per the IBPS CRP SPL-XVI notification. Wrong objective answers lose one-fourth of the question's marks. IBPS sets the minimum marks for the qualifying tests after the exam. In this mock the Descriptive Paper is typed, with 2 essay and 2 letter topics to choose from (one of each, as in previous IBPS exams). Full Mains pattern →
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