IBPS Exam Overview for Visually Impaired Candidates for PSU Banks

Introduction

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) is an autonomous organization responsible for conducting recruitment exams for various public sector banks in India. IBPS provides a fair and transparent selection process for banking aspirants through a standardized examination system. It plays a key role in recruiting candidates for different banking positions, including Clerks, Probationary Officers (POs), and Specialist Officers (SOs) in government banks.

Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) banks in India, such as Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, and Canara Bank, rely on IBPS for their recruitment needs. Except for the State Bank of India (SBI), which conducts its own exams, most PSU banks hire employees through IBPS. The IBPS recruitment process consists of preliminary and mains exams, followed by an interview for officer-level posts. By clearing the IBPS exam, candidates can secure a stable and prestigious career in India’s banking sector, serving in key financial institutions that drive the country’s economic growth.

IBPS Exam Eligibility Criteria

Nationality

The candidate must be either:
1. A Citizen of India, or
2. A subject of Nepal, or
3. A subject of Bhutan, or
4. A Tibetan Refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
5. A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Note: Candidates belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) must possess a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India. This certificate is crucial for confirming their eligibility to appear for the IBPS exams.
IBPS Clerk and IBPS PO Age Limit

For IBPS Clerk, the age criteria for the general category is a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 28 years. However, candidates belonging to the PWD (Persons with Disabilities) category are given an age relaxation of 10 years, extending the upper limit to 38 years (28 + 10).

For IBPS PO, the general category candidates must be between 20 and 30 years of age. PWD candidates are eligible for a relaxation of 10 years, making their upper age limit 40 years (30 + 10).
Educational Qualification for IBPS Clerk and PO

To be eligible for both IBPS Clerk and IBPS PO, candidates must hold a Degree (Graduation) in any discipline from a university recognized by the Government of India. Alternatively, an equivalent qualification recognized by the Central Government is also acceptable. The degree should be obtained from a recognized institution, ensuring that the candidate possesses the necessary academic credentials to participate in the recruitment process.

How to Apply

Applying for the IBPS exams can be a smooth process for the disabled community by following these steps. The entire application process is conducted online, and accommodations are provided to ensure accessibility for candidates with disabilities.

Visit the Official IBPS Website:
Start by visiting the official IBPS website at IBPS Official Website.
All the latest notifications, exam details, and application forms are available on the website. You can also access
information on accommodations for candidates with disabilities, including extended time or assistive technologies.
Read the Official Notification:
Before applying, carefully go through the official notification for the exam you are interested in (e.g., IBPS PO, Clerk).
The notification contains crucial information about eligibility, exam pattern, syllabus, and specific provisions
for disabled candidates, such as extra time during exams or availability of scribe assistance.
Registration Process:
To begin the application, click on “Click here for New Registration” on the IBPS homepage.
During registration, you will need to provide personal information such as your name, contact details, and educational
qualifications. Make sure to mention your disability status and select any specific accommodations you may need
(e.g., scribe, extra time). Upon successful registration, you will receive a Provisional Registration Number and Password,
which you will use to log in.
Fill the Application Form:
Log in using the credentials you received and fill out the application form with your personal, educational, and
other relevant details. Ensure you specify your disability and any required accommodations, such as:
- Scribe Assistance: If you require a scribe to write your exam, mention this clearly in the application.
- Extra Time: Candidates with disabilities may be eligible for extra time during the exam.
  Ensure you check the box requesting this option if needed.
Upload Required Documents:
You will be required to upload scanned copies of the following documents:
- Photograph: (usually passport-size)
- Signature
- Disability Certificate: This is important to claim the disability category and request accommodations.
  The certificate should be issued by a recognized medical authority.
- Left Thumb Impression and Handwritten Declaration: (if required)
Ensure your documents meet the size and format requirements, and that the disability certificate is valid and clear.
Payment of Application Fee:
After filling out the application form, you will need to pay the application fee. The fee can be paid online using options
such as net banking, debit/credit cards, or UPI. Candidates with disabilities (SC/ST/PWD) usually have a reduced or waived fee.
Be sure to select the correct category and verify that the payment has been successfully processed.
Review and Submit:
Before submitting your application, carefully review all the details, including the information about your disability and
any requested accommodations. Make sure everything is accurate. Once you are satisfied, click the “Submit”
button to finalize your application.
Print the Application Form:
After successfully submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation message and a link to download your application
form. It’s important to save and print a copy of your application for future reference. This will be useful for tracking your
application and in case you need it for any future communication with IBPS.
Admit Card Download:
When the exam date approaches, you will be able to download your Admit Card from the IBPS website.
The admit card contains important details like your roll number, exam center, and instructions for the exam day. If you have
requested any accommodations (e.g., extra time or a scribe), make sure to verify these details in the admit card.

Special Provisions for Visually Impaired

Use of Scribe: Visually impaired candidates with a disability of 40% or more may opt to use a scribe during the examination. Candidates are typically required to arrange their own scribe and provide an undertaking confirming the scribe’s eligibility. The qualification of the scribe should be minimum one step below the qualification of the candidate. The scribe for the candidate may be from any academic stream.
Compensatory Time: Candidates who use a scribe are generally granted compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour of the examination.
Reservation: In the IBPS exams, Visually Impaired candidates are provided with reservation benefits under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) category, as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016. A total of 4% of the total vacancies are reserved for PwBD candidates, which includes various disabilities such as Visually Impaired, Hearing Impaired, and Locomotor Disabilities.
Relaxation in Cut-offs: In IBPS exams, PwD candidates benefit from relaxed cut-offs, meaning they need lower marks than General category candidates to qualify. This applies to both sectional and overall cut-offs, with PwD cut-offs generally lower than General category ones. The relaxation is part of IBPS’s normalization process, ensuring fairness across different exam shifts. Additionally, PwD candidates receive minimum qualification marks relaxation, allowing them to clear each section with fewer marks. In the final merit list, they may also be selected with lower scores compared to General candidates. This relaxation ensures equal opportunities, considering the challenges PwD candidates may face in the exam.
Relaxation in Application Fees: Candidates belonging to the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) category typically have to pay a significantly lower application fee compared to candidates from the general category.

Syllabus for the IBPS Exams

IBPS Clerk

The IBPS Clerk exam consists of two stages: the Preliminary exam, which tests English, Numerical Ability, and Reasoning, and the Mains exam, which includes General/Financial Awareness, General English, Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, and Quantitative Aptitude.

Preliminary Exam

The IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam is a qualifying stage, meaning that the marks obtained in this exam are not considered for the final selection. It consists of three sections: English Language, Reasoning Ability, and Quantitative Aptitude.

Subject	Topics
English Language	Cloze Test Reading Comprehension Spotting Errors Sentence Improvement Sentence Correction Para Jumbles Fill in the Blanks Para/Sentence Completion
Reasoning Ability	Seating Arrangements Puzzles Inequalities Syllogism Input-Output Data Sufficiency Blood Relations Order and Ranking Alphanumeric Series Distance and Direction Verbal Reasoning
Quantitative Aptitude	Number Series Data Interpretation Simplification/Approximation Quadratic Equation Data Sufficiency Mensuration Average Profit and Loss Ratio and Proportion Work, Time, and Energy Time and Distance Probability Relations Simple and Compound Interest Permutation and Combination

Mains Exam

The IBPS Clerk Mains Exam is an important stage, as the marks obtained here are considered for the final selection. It consists of four sections: Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and General/Financial Awareness.

Subject	Topics
Reasoning Ability	Seating Arrangements Puzzles Inequalities Syllogism Input-Output Data Sufficiency Blood Relations Order and Ranking Alphanumeric Series Distance Direction Sense Verbal Reasoning Classification Simplification Coded Inequalities Machine Input-Output Statements and Arguments Assertion and Reasoning Passage and Conclusions Decision Making
Computer Aptitude	Basics of Hardware and Software Operating Systems MS Office Internet Networking Cyber Security
English Language	Cloze Test Reading Comprehension Spotting Errors Sentence Improvement Sentence Correction Para Jumbles Fill in the Blanks Para/Sentence Completion Vocabulary Word Formation Misspelt Words Phrases and Idioms Passage Completion Synonyms and Antonyms Active/Passive Voice
Quantitative Aptitude	Number Series Data Interpretation Simplification/Approximation Quadratic Equation Data Sufficiency Mensuration Average Profit and Loss Ratio and Proportion Work, Time, and Energy Time and Distance Probability Relations Simple and Compound Interest Permutation and Combination
General/Financial Awareness	Current Affairs Banking Awareness GK Updates Currencies Important Places Books and Authors Awards Headquarters Prime Minister Schemes Important Days National & International Current Affairs Central Government Schemes Banking and Financial Awareness Recent RBI Circulars-Based Questions Business & Economy Related News Important Appointments The Union Budget

IBPS PO

The IBPS PO exam consists of three stages: the Preliminary exam, which tests English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability; the Mains exam, which includes Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, General/Economy/Banking Awareness, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and a Descriptive Paper for Essay and Letter Writing; and the final Interview round.

Preliminary Exams

The IBPS PO Preliminary exam consists of three subjects: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability; however, its marks are not counted for the final selection as it is only a qualifying stage for the Mains exam.

Subject	Topics
Reasoning	Logical Reasoning Ranking/Direction/Alphabet Test Inequalities Seating Arrangement Blood Relations Syllogism Puzzle Tabulation Input-Output Coding-Decoding
English Language	Reading Comprehension Cloze Test Para Jumbles Error Detection/Spotting Fill in the Blanks Word Usage Word-Swap Paragraph Completion One Word Substitution Sentence Improvement
Quantitative Aptitude	Simplification Profit & Loss Mixtures & Allegations Simple Interest & Compound Interest Mensuration (Cylinder, Cone, Sphere) Ratio & Proportion Data Sufficiency Data Interpretation Surds & Indices Percentage Permutation, Combination & Probability Number Systems

Mains Exams

The IBPS PO Mains exam consists of five sections: Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, General/Economy/Banking Awareness, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and a Descriptive Paper for Essay and Letter Writing; its marks are counted for the final selection along with the Interview.

Subject	Topics
Quantitative Aptitude	Simplification Average Percentage Mixture and Allegations Ratio and Percentage Data Interpretation Mensuration and Geometry Quadratic Equations Interest Problems of Ages Profit and Loss Number Series Speed, Distance, and Time Time and Work Number System Data Sufficiency Linear Equations Permutation and Combination Probability
General Awareness	Financial Awareness Current Affairs General Knowledge Static Awareness (History, Geography, Economy, and Other Static Facts)
Reasoning & Computer Aptitude	Verbal Reasoning Syllogism Circular Seating Arrangement Code Inequalities Linear Seating Arrangement Double Lineup Scheduling Input-Output Blood Relations Directions and Distances Ordering and Ranking Data Sufficiency Coding and Decoding Internet Memory Keyboard Shortcuts Computer Abbreviation Microsoft Office Computer Hardware Computer Software Operating System Networking Computer Fundamentals/Terminologies
English Language	Reading Comprehension Vocabulary Grammar One Word Substitution Verbal Ability

The IBPS PO Descriptive Test is a mandatory component of the IBPS PO Mains Exam, with a total of 25 marks. In this section, candidates are required to write an essay and a letter. This section is designed to assess the candidates’ writing skills, and it is compulsory to pass it by securing the minimum cut-off marks.

Interview Round
The IBPS PO Interview is the final stage of the selection process, where candidates are assessed on their personality, communication skills, and overall suitability for the job. The interview panel may ask questions related to personal background, such as education, family, and hobbies. Questions on current affairs, including national and international events, economic and financial news, are also common. The panel may also test candidates’ knowledge of banking and financial awareness, including basic banking concepts, RBI policies, and financial markets. Additionally, situational questions are asked to assess problem-solving skills and decision-making abilities.

IBPS Examination Pattern

IBPS Clerk

The IBPS Clerk Exam consists of two stages: Prelims and Mains.

Preliminary Examination
Prelims is conducted online and consists of three sections: English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability. It includes a total of 100 objective-type multiple-choice questions, carrying 100 marks. The total time duration is 60 minutes, with 20 minutes allotted per section. There is negative marking, where 1/4th of the marks assigned to a question are deducted for each wrong answer.

Section Number of Questions Marks Time

English Language 30 30 20 minutes

Quantitative Aptitude 35 35 20 minutes

Reasoning Ability 35 35 20 minutes

Total 100 100 60 minutes

Section	Number of Questions	Marks	Time
English Language	30	30	20 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude	35	35	20 minutes
Reasoning Ability	35	35	20 minutes
Total	100	100	60 minutes

Mains Exams

Mains is also conducted online and consists of four sections: General/Financial Awareness, General English, Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude, and Quantitative Aptitude. It includes 190 objective-type questions, carrying 200 marks, with a total duration of 160 minutes (sectional timings vary). Similar to the Prelims, 1/4th of the marks are deducted for each incorrect answer.

Section	Number of Questions	Marks	Time
General/Financial Awareness	50	50	35 minutes
General English	40	40	35 minutes
Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude	50	60	45 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude	50	50	45 minutes
Total	190	200	160 minutes

IBPS PO

Preliminary Examination

The IBPS PO Prelims will consist of three sections, with a total of 100 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 1 hour. Candidates must secure the minimum required cut-off marks in each section, which will be determined by IBPS. Based on the number of candidates needed, IBPS will shortlist a sufficient number of candidates from each category for the Online Main Examination. Please note that there will be a penalty of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer.

Subjects Number of Questions Marks Duration

English Language 30 30 20 minutes

Quantitative Aptitude 35 35 20 minutes

Reasoning Ability 35 35 20 minutes

Total 100 100 1 Hour

Subjects	Number of Questions	Marks	Duration
English Language	30	30	20 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude	35	35	20 minutes
Reasoning Ability	35	35	20 minutes
Total	100	100	1 Hour

Mains Examinations

The IBPS PO Mains is the second stage of the examination, and candidates who qualify for the Prelims will be eligible to appear for the Mains Exam. This stage introduces a Descriptive Paper, similar to the SBI PO Exam, where candidates will be assessed on their writing skills through an essay and a letter, totaling 25 marks to be completed within 30 minutes.

There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer in the Objective Tests. The overall time allotted for each section has been revised, and the total duration for the Mains Objective Exam is now 180 minutes, with an additional 30 minutes for the Descriptive Test, making the total time for the exam 3 hours and 30 minutes.

The tests of Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude, English Language, and Data Analysis & Interpretation are divided into Section A and Section B, with all questions in both sections being mandatory. Some questions carry 2 marks, while others carry 1 mark. Additionally, there will be no separate paper for Computer Applications. Instead, Computer Aptitude is combined with the Reasoning section, comprising 45 questions for a total of 60 marks.

Name of Test	No. of Questions	Max. Marks	Time Duration
Reasoning & Computer Aptitude (Section A and Section B)	45	60	60 minutes
English Language (Section A and Section B)	35	40	40 minutes
Data Analysis and Interpretation (Section A and Section B)	35	60	45 minutes
General, Economy/Banking Awareness	40	40	35 minutes
Total	155	200	180 minutes
English Language (Letter Writing & Essay)	02	25	30 minutes
Total	157	225	3 hours 30 minutes

Interview

IBPS PO Interview is the final stage of the selection process and evaluates a candidate’s personality, communication skills, and suitability for the banking sector. The interview panel asks questions related to:
- Personal background, including education and work experience.
- Current affairs, banking, and financial awareness.
- Situational decision-making and problem-solving skills.

IBPS Selection Process

IBPS Clerk

The IBPS Clerk recruitment process consists of two rounds: the preliminary and the main exams. The preliminary exam acts as a screening test, and its scores do not contribute to the final merit list for the Clerk position. The final selection is based solely on the marks earned in the main exam.
IBPS PO

The IBPS PO Exam is divided into three key phases:
1. Preliminary Examination
2. Main Examination
3. Personal Interview
To move forward in the selection process, candidates must achieve a minimum score in both the Preliminary and Main exams. Additionally, candidates must meet a required total score to be eligible for the interview stage.

Successful candidates need to clear both the Main exam and the Interview, with scores high enough to qualify for final selection.

Ultimately, the final selection for the IBPS PO role is determined by the combined scores from the Mains Exam and the Interview (Mains + Interview).

Key Differencesbetween IBPS PO and IBPS Clerk

Difficulty Level: The IBPS PO exam is more challenging than the IBPS Clerk exam, especially at the Mains stage, due to the managerial nature of the role. The PO exam includes a more complex syllabus, including both objective and descriptive sections, while the Clerk exam is relatively simpler, focusing mostly on objective-type questions.
Selection Process: The selection process for IBPS PO includes three stages: Prelims, Mains, and an Interview. The Mains exam for IBPS PO also includes a Descriptive Paper (Letter Writing and Essay), testing candidates’ communication skills. In contrast, IBPS Clerk has only two stages: Prelims and Mains, with no Interview stage. Selection for Clerk positions is based purely on the Mains exam performance.
Interview: The IBPS PO exam includes an Interview stage after the Mains exam, where candidates are assessed on their communication skills and decision-making abilities. In contrast, the IBPS Clerk exam does not have an Interview, and candidates are selected based purely on their Mains performance.