IBPS Clerk Mains Exam Analysis 2025 : The mains exam for IBPS Clerk 2025 took place as per schedule on 29 November & 02 December 2025. Just as soon as the exam got over, a flurry of feedback from test-takers started pouring in, giving a broad view of how this year’s exam fared in comparison with previous cycles. The following analysis ties in the official updates to the pattern, expert reviews, and candidate responses in order to give a realistic picture of the 2025 mains about what was easy, what was challenging, and where aspirants could maximize their scores.
Overall, the difficulty level of the examination ranged from moderate to moderately tough depending on the section and shift. While some sections remained manageable, certain parts – especially Quantitative Aptitude and General/Financial Awareness – demanded speed, accuracy, and up-to-date knowledge.
Overview – IBPS Clerk Mains Exam 2025
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | IBPS Clerk Mains Exam 2025 |
| Conducting Authority | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Exam Level | National-level Banking Recruitment |
| Exam Mode | Online CBT (Computer-Based Test) |
| Sections | Reasoning & Computer, English, Quantitative Aptitude, General/ Financial Awareness |
| Difficulty Level (2025) | Moderate to Moderately Difficult |
| Expected Good Attempts | 95 – 105 (depending on accuracy) |
| Recruitment Stage After Mains | Interview / Document Verification (as per bank allocation) |
IBPS Clerk Mains 2025 – Exam Pattern & Structure
| Section | Ques tions |
Max. Marks |
Time (mins) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 40 | 60 | 35 |
| General English | 40 | 40 | 35 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 50 | 30 |
| General / Financial Awareness | 40 | 50 | 20 |
| Total | 155 | 200 | 120 |
Note: The 2025 mains followed the revised pattern — four sections, 155 questions overall, and a total duration of 120 minutes.
Section-Wise Difficulty & Good Attempts
| Section | Difficulty (2025) | Approx |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer | Moderate | 20–22 |
| General English | Moderate – Easy | 24–26 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Moderate – Difficult (DI heavy) | 15–18 |
| General / Financial Awareness | Easy – Moderate | 28–30 |
| Overall Expected Good Attempts | — | 95–105 |
Good attempts are indicative of approximately how many questions an aspirant desirous of scoring safely may attempt correctly under normal conditions.
Key Observations
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Reasoning & Computer Aptitude : Remained moderate as usual, with puzzles and logical reasoning being the mainstay. Time management was essential due to limited time per question.
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General English : Considered manageable by many, with standard questions on reading comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary.
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Quantitative Aptitude : Trickiest section this year – heavy on Data Interpretation (DI), arithmetic application problems, and caselet-based graphs. Aspirants with high speed of calculation along with accuracy held an edge.
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General / Financial Awareness : Slightly easier compared to quant, current affairs, banking awareness, and economy-related questions dominated. Good revision and updated knowledge paid off.
What This Analysis Means for Aspirants & Future Candidates
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Overall, the difficulty level was moderate : Quant was the differentiator. If you attempted ~ 95–100 accurate questions with balanced section coverage, the chances of clearing the cut-off are good.
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Time management was very important, especially in the Quant and Reasoning sections. Speed + accuracy = high scoring potential.
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Current Affairs & Banking GK mattered : The GA section rewarded recent updates and awareness about economic/banking developments.
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Mock tests and previous year’s papers remain indispensable : Full-length mocks simulate real exam pressure, especially under the revised pattern.
IBPS Clerk Mains Cut-Off 2025 (Approximate)
| Category | Expected Cut-Off Range |
|---|---|
| General | 84 – 88 |
| OBC | 80 – 84 |
| SC | 72 – 76 |
| ST | 67 – 72 |
Final cut-off will depend on exam difficulty, normalization, and available vacancies. This table is suitable for exam analysis and rank prediction articles.
IBPS Clerk Mains Cut-Off Trends (Previous Years)
| Year | General (Approx.) |
OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 82–86 | 78–83 | 70–74 | 66–70 |
| 2023 | 80–84 | 76–80 | 68–72 | 63–67 |
| 2022 | 78–82 | 74–78 | 66–71 | 61–65 |
| 2021 | 76–80 | 72–76 | 63–67 | 58–62 |
Last-Minute Preparation & Strategy Tips
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Prioritize accuracy above attempt count, as there are chances of negative marking impact because of reckless attempts.
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More focus on Quant shortcuts and practice, specifically DI and arithmetic combinations.
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Keep yourself updated on current banking news, RBI circulars, and economic developments. GA questions are always unpredictable.
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Practice full-length mocks under timed conditions to build stamina and speed.
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Avoid new topics just before the result, revise your strong areas, and keep the exam temperament.
Important Links – IBPS Clerk Mains 2025
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| Official IBPS Website | https://ibps.in |
| IBPS Previous Year Question Papers | Downloadable from IBPS → CRP-Clerks Archive |
| IBPS Clerk 2025 Notification | Under Current Recruitment section on ibps.in |
| Letest News | jobsrecruitment.co.in |
FAQs – IBPS Clerk Mains Exam 2025
1. How many questions were there in the IBPS Clerk Mains 2025 and what was the total marks?
There were 155 questions in the IBPS Clerk Mains 2025, carrying a total of 200 marks. The four sections that comprised this were Reasoning & Computer, English, Quantitative Aptitude, and General/Financial Awareness. Each section had separate timing; thus, time management was very crucial.
2. Which section was the most challenging in IBPS Clerk Mains 2025?
Quantitative Aptitude was the toughest section, primarily because it contained lengthy Data Interpretation sets and arithmetic-based word problems. Candidates who could do fast and accurate calculations found it easier to score.
3. What is considered a safe number of attempts to pass the exam?
A safe attempt range is around 95–105 accurate questions across all sections, depending on the shift difficulty and category. Accuracy plays a major role because negative marking can significantly affect the final score.
4. Is the General / Financial Awareness section important for scoring well?
Yes, this section plays a very significant role because it is a high-scoring and time-saving section compared to the other sections. Candidates with strong current affairs and banking awareness can increase their total marks in no time, without doing any lengthy calculations.
5. How can I improve my chances of selection if I’m re-attempting next year?
Focus on speed improvement in Quant, revise Financial Awareness on a regular basis, and weekly mock tests in full-exam format. Do an in-depth analysis of mistakes after every mock, following a planned strategy regarding time management and accuracy.
Conclusion
The IBPS Clerk Mains Exam 2025 was a well-balanced knowledge-speed-accuracy test. No section could be said to be easy; intelligent preparation, importantly good Quant skills, sharp GA knowledge, and disciplined time management, could get one a good score. Aspirants awaiting the result can analyze their expected attempts against the pattern and good-attempt estimates to give a realistic expectation of success.
Whether you sat for it this year or are preparing to take it sometime in the future, it is worth using this analysis, forming a strategy for yourself on what your strengths and weak areas are, and practising under timed conditions.