IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam Analysis 2025 (October 12, All Shifts):The Easy Paper, Good Attempts & State-Wise Expected Cut-Off
IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam Analysis. The first day of one of the year’s largest banking examinations, the IBPS Clerk Prelims 2025, has successfully concluded. The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducted the online examination in four shifts across hundreds of centers nationwide. This exam is the crucial first step for lakhs of aspirants aiming for a clerical position in India’s leading Public Sector Banks.
Immediately after the exam, the most pressing questions for candidates are about the paper’s difficulty, a safe number of attempts, and the potential state-wise cut-offs. Based on extensive, real-time feedback and in-depth analysis from thousands of students who appeared in the various shifts on October 12, we have compiled the most exhaustive and accurate exam analysis.
The overwhelming consensus from all four shifts is that the paper was Easy. This has significant implications for the cut-off marks, which are now expected to be on the higher side. This article provides a deep dive into the section-wise difficulty, a breakdown of the actual questions asked, and a strategic projection of the expected cut-offs.
Overall Exam Analysis: A Bird’s-Eye View of Day 1
The IBPS Clerk Prelims exam followed the expected pattern, consisting of three sections with a total of 100 questions to be solved in a composite time of 60 minutes, with 20 minutes allotted to each section.
General Feedback: The student sentiment was largely positive, with most candidates finding the paper manageable and scorable within the given time constraints. There were no major surprises or new pattern questions, and the interface was smooth. The Reasoning Ability and English Language sections were particularly easy, while the Numerical Ability section was rated as Easy-to-Moderate due to some calculative questions.
Overall Good Attempts & Difficulty Level: A “good attempt” refers to the number of questions a well-prepared candidate could attempt with approximately 90% accuracy. Given the easy nature of the paper, the number of good attempts is high.
| Section | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts (with 90% Accuracy) |
| English Language (30 Qs) | Easy | 24 – 27 |
| Numerical Ability (35 Qs) | Easy-Moderate | 27 – 30 |
| Reasoning Ability (35 Qs) | Easy | 29 – 32 |
| Overall (100 Qs) | Easy | 78 – 85 |
Subject-Wise Deep Dive: An Exhaustive Breakdown (All Shifts)
Here is a granular, topic-by-topic breakdown of the questions that appeared in each section throughout the day.
1. Reasoning Ability (Easy)
This section was a major confidence booster for most aspirants. It was highly scorable, with a good mix of straightforward miscellaneous questions and manageable puzzles.
| Topic | No. of Questions (Approx.) |
| Puzzles & Seating Arrangements | 15 |
| Alphanumeric Series | 5 |
| Syllogism | 3 – 4 |
| Inequality | 3 – 4 |
| Blood Relation | 3 |
| Direction Sense | 3 |
| Miscellaneous (Word/Number based) | 2 – 3 |
| Total | 35 |
In-depth Analysis:
- Puzzles and Seating Arrangements: There were three sets in each shift. The types seen included:
- A Floor-based puzzle with 7 people living on 7 different floors.
- A Linear Seating Arrangement with 8 people sitting in a single row, all facing north.
- A Day-based puzzle where 7 people had activities on 7 different days of the week (Monday to Sunday).
- All puzzles were single-variable and did not involve complex conditions, making them solvable within 2-3 minutes each.
- Miscellaneous Topics: The questions from Syllogism (mostly “Only a few” and “Some/All” types), direct Inequality, and Blood Relation were very easy and could be solved in seconds, allowing candidates to secure marks quickly before tackling the puzzles.
2. Numerical Ability (Easy-Moderate)
This section was slightly more time-consuming but was dominated by Speed Maths questions, making it manageable.
| Topic | No. of Questions (Approx.) |
| Simplification | 12 – 15 |
| Data Interpretation (DI) | 5 |
| Missing Number Series | 5 |
| Arithmetic Word Problems | 10 – 12 |
| Total | 35 |
In-depth Analysis:
- Simplification: This was the highlight of the section, with a massive 12 to 15 questions in every shift. The questions were based on the BODMAS rule, fractions, and percentages, and were a gift for candidates with strong calculation speed.
- Data Interpretation (DI): A single, straightforward set of Bar Graph DI was asked in most shifts. The data was easy to read, and the 5 questions based on it involved simple calculations of averages, ratios, and percentages.
- Arithmetic: The word problems were from a range of topics including Percentage, Profit & Loss, SI & CI, Time & Work, Mixtures & Alligations, and Boats & Streams. The difficulty level of these questions was easy.
3. English Language (Easy)
The English section was unanimously rated as the easiest of the three. It tested fundamental grammar and reading skills.
| Topic | No. of Questions (Approx.) |
| Reading Comprehension (RC) | 8 – 10 |
| Error Spotting | 5 |
| Misspelt Words / Word Usage | 5 |
| Para Jumbles | 5 |
| Single Fillers | 5 |
| Total | 30 |
In-depth Analysis:
- Reading Comprehension (RC): The passages were mostly story-based and simple to understand. The questions were direct, with 2-3 questions focused on vocabulary (synonyms/antonyms) from the passage.
- Grammar and Vocabulary: The questions on Error Spotting were based on simple subject-verb agreement and tense rules. The Misspelt Words and Single Fillers questions were also based on common, everyday vocabulary, making this a very high-scoring section.
IBPS Clerk Prelims Expected Cut-Off 2025: A State-Wise Projection
It is crucial to remember that the IBPS Clerk cut-off is applied on a state-wise basis and can vary significantly depending on the number of vacancies and applicants in each state. Given the overall “Easy” difficulty level of the Day 1 exam, the cut-offs are expected to be high across all states.
Here is a range of expected cut-off marks for the General category in a few major states:
| State | General Category Expected Cut-Off (Out of 100) |
| Uttar Pradesh | 77 – 82 |
| Maharashtra | 73 – 78 |
| West Bengal | 78 – 83 |
| Punjab | 79 – 84 |
| Tamil Nadu | 69 – 74 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 75 – 80 |
| Delhi | 78 – 83 |
Disclaimer: These are expected cut-offs based on the analysis of the first day of the exam. The final cut-off will depend on the performance of candidates across all shifts and dates and the number of vacancies in each state.
What’s Next? Guidance for All Aspirants
- For Candidates with Upcoming Shifts (Oct 13 & 19): Expect a paper of a similar, easy difficulty level. Your primary focus should be on maximizing your attempts with very high accuracy. Speed is of the essence. Do not get stuck on any single question.
- For Candidates of Day 1: If you have attempted anywhere close to the “good attempts” range (78-85+) with high accuracy, you have a very strong chance of qualifying. Do not wait for the results. Begin your preparation for the IBPS Clerk Main Examination immediately. The Mains exam is a significant step up in difficulty and includes the crucial General/Financial Awareness section, which requires dedicated preparation.
In conclusion, Day 1 of the IBPS Clerk Prelims 2025 has set a high-scoring precedent. The paper was straightforward and rewarded candidates with strong fundamentals and good speed.