Changes in the Exam Pattern for IBPS Clerk Exam

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts the IBPS Clerk Exam to recruit candidates for the clerical cadre in various public sector banks. The notification for the latest IBPS Clerk Exam has brought some changes and updates in the exam pattern. Let's discuss them in detail:

1. Introduction of the sectional timing:
- In the latest notification, IBPS has introduced sectional timing for each section of the preliminary exam.
- Earlier, candidates had the flexibility to attempt any section in any order within the overall time limit.
- Now, candidates need to complete each section within the specified time limit.

2. Time duration for each section:
- The total time duration for the preliminary exam remains the same, i.e., 60 minutes.
- However, the time allotted for each section has been changed.
- English Language section: 20 minutes
- Reasoning Ability section: 20 minutes
- Numerical Ability section: 20 minutes

3. Increase in the number of questions:
- The number of questions in the Reasoning Ability and Numerical Ability sections has been increased.
- Earlier, both sections had 35 questions each. Now, each section will have 40 questions.

4. Changes in the marking scheme:
- There is no change in the marking scheme for the preliminary exam.
- Each correct answer carries 1 mark, and for each incorrect answer, 0.25 marks will be deducted as a penalty.

5. No changes in the mains exam:
- The mains exam pattern remains the same as the previous year.
- It consists of four sections: English Language, General/ Financial Awareness, Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude, and Quantitative Aptitude.
- The total time duration for the mains exam is 160 minutes.

Conclusion:
The latest notification for the IBPS Clerk Exam brings changes in the exam pattern by introducing sectional timing, increasing the number of questions in certain sections, and specifying the time duration for each section in the preliminary exam. However, there are no changes in the mains exam pattern. Candidates appearing for the exam should be aware of these changes to effectively plan their preparation strategy.