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IBPS Clerk practice questions

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Question 1English Language

In the sentence 'The bank decided to waive the processing fee for accounts opened during the festival', what does 'waive' most nearly mean?

  1. Postpone
  2. Increase
  3. Verify
  4. Give up Correct answer.

Explanation

To waive a fee means to refrain from charging it or to give up the right to collect it. In banking contexts, a bank may waive processing charges as a concession, so 'give up' is the precise meaning here.

Question 2English Language

Choose the verb that correctly completes the sentence: 'Neither the manager nor the clerks ______ available for the training.'

  1. were Correct answer.
  2. was
  3. has been
  4. is

Explanation

When two subjects are joined by 'neither ... nor', the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it. The nearer subject is 'clerks', which is plural, so the plural verb 'were' is required.

Question 3English Language

Fill in the blank with the correct preposition: 'All branches must comply ______ the revised KYC guidelines.'

  1. for
  2. with Correct answer.
  3. by
  4. at

Explanation

The verb 'comply' takes the preposition 'with' when it means to act in accordance with a rule or request. 'Comply with the guidelines' is the standard collocation in formal banking English.

Question 4English Language

Identify the part of the sentence that contains a grammatical error: 'The bank has instructed (0) / all its branches (1) / to verify the documents (2) / before sanctioning of the loan (3).'

  1. The bank has instructed
  2. before sanctioning of the loan Correct answer.
  3. all its branches
  4. to verify the documents

Explanation

The expression 'before sanctioning of the loan' is ungrammatical because the gerund 'sanctioning' takes a direct object. Correct forms are 'before sanctioning the loan' or 'before the sanction of the loan', so the error lies in the last part.

Question 5English Language

Choose the word that correctly fills the blank: 'The new policy will ______ the way loans are sanctioned.'

  1. effect
  2. affect Correct answer.
  3. afford
  4. enforce

Explanation

'Affect' is normally a verb meaning to influence something, while 'effect' is usually a noun meaning a result. The blank needs a verb before the object 'the way loans are sanctioned', so 'affect' fits.

Question 6English Language

Choose the option that best replaces the underlined part: 'No sooner the clock struck five than the counter closed.'

  1. No sooner the clock had struck five
  2. No sooner had the clock struck five Correct answer.
  3. No sooner has the clock struck five
  4. No sooner did the clock struck five

Explanation

Negative adverbials such as 'no sooner' at the beginning of a clause trigger inversion, and the past perfect is used for the earlier of two past actions. The correct structure is 'No sooner had the clock struck five than ...'.

Question 7English Language

Read the passage and answer the question. 'The Reserve Bank has asked banks to link new floating-rate retail loans to an external benchmark. The move is expected to make loan pricing more transparent, as borrowers can compare rates across lenders. However, bankers caution that transmission may be uneven because deposit rates adjust slowly.' According to the passage, why might the transmission of rate changes be uneven?

  1. Loan pricing becomes more transparent
  2. Deposit rates adjust slowly Correct answer.
  3. Banks link new loans to a benchmark
  4. Borrowers compare rates across lenders

Explanation

The passage states that bankers caution transmission may be uneven 'because deposit rates adjust slowly'. The other options are features or benefits of linking loans to the benchmark, not the stated reason for uneven transmission.

Question 8English Language

Choose the connector that best fills the blank: 'The branch recorded a sharp rise in deposits; ______, its loan growth remained weak.'

  1. therefore
  2. for instance
  3. similarly
  4. however Correct answer.

Explanation

The two clauses present a contrast: deposits rose sharply, but loan growth stayed weak. 'However' signals contrast, whereas 'therefore' signals result, 'similarly' signals similarity and 'for instance' introduces an example.

Question 9English Language

Arrange the sentences in the correct order to describe an online fund transfer: P. The user then receives a one-time password on the registered mobile number. Q. To complete an online fund transfer, the user first logs in to the net banking portal. R. Finally, the transaction is processed and a confirmation is displayed. S. After entering the beneficiary details, the user submits the transfer request.

  1. QPSR
  2. SQPR
  3. QSPR Correct answer.
  4. PQSR

Explanation

A fund transfer begins with logging in, followed by entering beneficiary details and submitting the request. The OTP comes after submission, and the final confirmation comes only after processing, giving Q-S-P-R.

Question 10English Language

In the sentence 'The auditor's remarks were strictly off the record', what does the phrase 'off the record' mean?

  1. not meant for publication Correct answer.
  2. supported by written evidence only
  3. entered in the official minutes
  4. rejected by the audit committee

Explanation

The idiom 'off the record' describes information given unofficially, with the understanding that it will not be published or attributed. It does not mean that the remarks were formally recorded or rejected.

Question 11English Language

In a report on rural credit, the phrase 'on the breadline' most nearly means:

  1. very poor Correct answer.
  2. unable to open a savings account
  3. extremely wealthy
  4. heavily indebted to a bank

Explanation

The idiom 'on the breadline' describes someone who has barely enough money to live on, so it means very poor. It does not by itself mean indebted to a bank or unable to open an account, which are different financial conditions.

Question 12English Language

Choose the correct preposition to fill the blank: 'The customer was charged a penalty ______ late payment of the EMI.'

  1. from
  2. on
  3. with
  4. for Correct answer.

Explanation

The standard collocation is 'a penalty for late payment', where 'for' introduces the reason for the charge. The other prepositions do not express the cause of a penalty in this construction.

Question 13English Language

In the instruction 'Please remit the amount by Friday', the word 'remit' means:

  1. postpone
  2. verify
  3. cancel
  4. send (a payment) Correct answer.

Explanation

In banking and commercial usage, 'remit' means to send or pay money, often in response to a demand or invoice. The deadline 'by Friday' confirms that the instruction concerns making a payment.

Question 14English Language

Choose the verb that correctly completes the sentence: 'One of the clerks ______ the daily reconciliation before the branch opens.'

  1. are doing
  2. do
  3. does Correct answer.
  4. have

Explanation

The subject of the sentence is 'One', which is singular, so the verb must be singular: 'One ... does'. The phrase 'of the clerks' is a prepositional modifier and does not change the number of the subject.

Question 15English Language

Choose the correct phrasal verb to fill the blank: 'The bank plans to ______ the new mobile banking app across all rural branches by March.'

  1. roll out Correct answer.
  2. roll in
  3. roll over
  4. roll up

Explanation

'Roll out' means to launch or introduce a product or service to a wider audience, which fits the plan to extend the app across branches. The other phrasal verbs have different meanings and do not collocate with launching an app.

Question 16English Language

Read the sentence: 'Although the bank's gross non-performing assets rose, its net NPA ratio fell because of higher provisioning.' Which conclusion follows from the sentence?

  1. Gross NPAs fell during the period.
  2. Provisions rose enough to bring down net NPAs despite higher gross NPAs. Correct answer.
  3. The bank stopped making provisions for bad loans.
  4. Net NPAs rose faster than gross NPAs.

Explanation

The sentence states that gross NPAs rose but net NPAs fell because of higher provisioning. Since net NPAs are calculated after provisions, the conclusion is that increased provisions reduced the net figure even though the gross figure increased.

Question 17English Language

Choose the correct indirect speech form of: The manager said to the clerk, 'Submit the report by noon.'

  1. The manager asked the clerk that he submit the report by noon.
  2. The manager said the clerk to submit the report by noon.
  3. The manager instructed the clerk to submit the report by noon. Correct answer.
  4. The manager told to the clerk to submit the report by noon.

Explanation

An imperative command is reported with a verb such as 'instructed' or 'told' followed by the object and a to-infinitive. 'Instructed the clerk to submit' correctly reports the manager's order and keeps the deadline.

Question 18English Language

Choose the correct passive form of: 'The bank has sanctioned the loan.'

  1. The loan was sanctioned by the bank.
  2. The loan has been sanctioned by the bank. Correct answer.
  3. The loan has sanctioned by the bank.
  4. The loan is sanctioned by the bank.

Explanation

The present perfect active 'has sanctioned' becomes the present perfect passive 'has been sanctioned'. The object 'the loan' becomes the subject, and the agent is introduced with 'by the bank'.

Question 19English Language

Choose the sentence that is grammatically correct and appropriate in a formal report on deposit mobilisation.

  1. The bank had revised its interest rates earlier, it would retain more depositors.
  2. If the bank had revised its interest rates earlier, it will have retained more depositors.
  3. Had the bank revised its interest rates earlier, it would have retained more depositors. Correct answer.
  4. Had the bank would revise its interest rates earlier, it would have retained more depositors.

Explanation

This is a third conditional sentence describing an unreal past situation and its unreal past result. The correct pattern is 'Had + subject + past participle' in the conditional clause and 'would have + past participle' in the main clause.

Question 20English Language

Choose the word that best fills the blank: 'The regulator's circular was ______: instead of prescribing detailed steps, it allowed banks considerable discretion in implementation.'

  1. prescriptive
  2. prohibitive
  3. permissive Correct answer.
  4. ambiguous

Explanation

The clause after the colon explains that the circular allowed discretion rather than prescribing detailed steps, so 'permissive' is the precise word. 'Permissive' means allowing freedom, which matches the contrast with detailed prescription.

Question 21English Language

Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to 'stringent' as used in the phrase 'stringent KYC norms'.

  1. lenient Correct answer.
  2. binding
  3. severe
  4. rigorous

Explanation

'Stringent' describes rules that are strict and tightly enforced, so its opposite is 'lenient', meaning permissive or not strictly enforced. In regulatory writing, a lenient norm gives banks more discretion, while a stringent one leaves little room for relaxation.

Question 22English Language

The bank has not yet credited the refund to the customer's account, ___?

  1. has it Correct answer.
  2. hasn't it
  3. didn't it
  4. did it

Explanation

The statement is negative because it contains 'has not', so the question tag must be positive and use the same auxiliary, 'has'. The correct tag is therefore 'has it', not a negative tag or a past-tense form.

Question 23English Language

The audit team found several ___ in the loan records.

  1. lapsing
  2. lapse
  3. lapses Correct answer.
  4. lapsed

Explanation

The plural quantifier 'several' requires a plural countable noun, so 'lapses' is correct. 'Lapse' is singular, while 'lapsing' and 'lapsed' are verb forms that cannot follow 'several' as nouns here.

Question 24English Language

Having verified the customer's KYC documents, ___.

  1. opening the account was completed by the clerk
  2. the account opening was completed
  3. the account was opened by the clerk
  4. the clerk opened the account Correct answer.

Explanation

A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must describe the subject of the main clause. The person who verified the KYC documents is the clerk, so the main clause must begin with 'the clerk'; the other options wrongly make the account or the opening the subject of 'having verified'.

Question 25English Language

If the bank ___ the proposal earlier, the merger would have been completed by March.

  1. approves
  2. had approved Correct answer.
  3. would approve
  4. approved

Explanation

This is a third conditional sentence about an unreal past condition, so the if-clause needs the past perfect 'had approved'. The result clause already uses 'would have been completed', which confirms the past unreal meaning.

Question 26English Language

Identify the part of the sentence that contains a grammatical error: 'The number of complaints received (0) / during the quarter (1) / was higher than (2) / those in the previous quarter (3).'

  1. was higher than
  2. during the quarter
  3. those in the previous quarter Correct answer.
  4. The number of complaints received

Explanation

The comparison is between 'the number of complaints' in two quarters, so the pronoun must be singular 'that', not plural 'those'. 'Those' would wrongly compare the number with the complaints themselves.

Question 27English Language

Choose the option that best replaces the underlined part: 'The customer did not hardly have enough balance to cover the EMI.'

  1. hardly had Correct answer.
  2. did not have hardly
  3. did hardly have
  4. had not hardly

Explanation

The original sentence contains a double negative: 'did not hardly' treats 'hardly' as a negative with 'not'. The standard correction is 'hardly had', since 'hardly' already carries the negative sense and needs no additional 'not'.

Question 28English Language

In the sentence 'The branch manager asked the staff to pull up their socks before the audit', what does the idiom 'pull up their socks' mean?

  1. slow down the verification process
  2. make a greater effort Correct answer.
  3. dress formally for the audit
  4. take leave before the audit

Explanation

The idiom 'pull up one's socks' means to prepare to work harder or improve effort. In the audit context, the manager is asking staff to be more diligent, not to change dress or slow down.

Question 29English Language

The regulator asked the bank to ___ the circular issued without prior approval.

  1. retain
  2. reiterate
  3. reaffirm
  4. rescind Correct answer.

Explanation

To 'rescind' a circular is to cancel or revoke it formally. The context says the circular was issued without prior approval, so the regulator would want it withdrawn rather than repeated, kept, or confirmed again.

Question 30English Language

Read the passage and answer the question. 'Under the scheme, every eligible account holder can obtain an overdraft of up to ₹10,000 after satisfactory operation of the account for six months. The facility is intended to cushion irregular cash flows rather than to fund consumption. Banks, however, report that a large share of drawals is used for short-term household expenses, and repayment is often delayed until the next wage payment.' Which inference is best supported by the passage?

  1. Account holders can obtain an unlimited overdraft after six months.
  2. The scheme has fully achieved its stated purpose.
  3. Actual use of the overdraft has diverged from the facility's intended purpose. Correct answer.
  4. Banks refuse to offer overdrafts to households with irregular cash flows.

Explanation

The passage contrasts the scheme's stated aim-cushioning irregular cash flows rather than funding consumption-with banks' reports that drawals are largely used for household expenses. That supports the inference that actual use has diverged from the intended purpose. The other options are either unsupported or contradicted by the passage.

Question 31English Language

In the sentence 'The bank launched a lucrative fixed deposit scheme to attract retired customers', the word 'lucrative' most nearly means:

  1. complicated
  2. compulsory
  3. profitable Correct answer.
  4. temporary

Explanation

In this context, 'lucrative' describes a scheme that offers financial gain, so it means profitable. The other options describe complexity, obligation, or duration, none of which matches the sense of a scheme designed to attract deposits.

Question 32English Language

Choose the correct preposition to fill the blank: 'The customer applied ______ a personal loan at the branch.'

  1. with
  2. on
  3. to
  4. for Correct answer.

Explanation

The verb 'apply' is followed by 'for' when it means to request something such as a loan, job, or permission. 'Apply to' is used for an authority or institution, not for the thing requested.

Question 33English Language

Choose the correct word to fill the blank: 'The bank will disburse the loan ______ the property documents are verified by its legal team.'

  1. unless
  2. although
  3. despite
  4. if Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence states a condition that must be met before disbursement, so 'if' is the correct conditional conjunction. 'Unless' would mean the loan is disbursed except when documents are verified, which reverses the intended meaning.

Question 34English Language

Choose the correct verb to fill the blank: 'Neither the accountant nor the cashiers ______ able to explain the discrepancy in the ledger.'

  1. was
  2. is
  3. were Correct answer.
  4. has

Explanation

When 'neither ... nor' joins subjects of different numbers, the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it. The nearer subject is 'cashiers', which is plural, so the plural verb 'were' is required.

Question 35English Language

In the sentence 'The cooperative bank has been in the red for three consecutive quarters', what does the idiom 'in the red' mean?

  1. earning profits
  2. opening branches
  3. suffering losses Correct answer.
  4. facing a ban

Explanation

'In the red' is an accounting idiom meaning that a business has a negative balance and is operating at a loss. The opposite idiom is 'in the black', which indicates profitability.

Question 36English Language

Choose the correct passive form of: 'The auditor will review the branch accounts.'

  1. The branch accounts will review by the auditor.
  2. The branch accounts are reviewed by the auditor.
  3. The branch accounts will be reviewed by the auditor. Correct answer.
  4. The branch accounts have been reviewed by the auditor.

Explanation

The original sentence uses the future simple active 'will review', so the passive is formed with 'will be' plus the past participle 'reviewed'. The subject of the active sentence becomes the agent in a 'by' phrase.

Question 37English Language

Choose the word that best fills the blank: 'To attract more savers, the bank decided to ______ the interest rate on its one-year fixed deposit scheme.'

  1. revere
  2. revise Correct answer.
  3. reverse
  4. revoke

Explanation

'Revise' means to change or adjust something, which fits the context of altering an interest rate. The other verbs describe cancelling, turning around, or respecting, none of which collocates with changing a rate.

Question 38English Language

Read the passage and answer the question. 'Under the new financial inclusion drive, banks must open a basic savings account for every eligible adult with minimal documentation. However, field officers report that many such accounts remain dormant because customers continue to rely on cash and are unaware of digital services. To address this, banks have begun organising monthly awareness camps in villages.' Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

  1. Digital banking services are completely unavailable in villages.
  2. Customers refuse to open basic savings accounts.
  3. Account opening alone may not ensure active usage. Correct answer.
  4. Field officers strongly oppose the financial inclusion drive.

Explanation

The passage says many accounts remain dormant despite being opened, which supports the inference that opening accounts alone does not guarantee active use. The other options contradict or go beyond the stated facts.

Question 39English Language

Choose the option that best replaces the underlined part: 'The manager insisted that the clerk submits the report before leaving the branch.' Underlined part: submits the report

  1. submitted the report
  2. would submit the report
  3. has submitted the report
  4. submit the report Correct answer.

Explanation

Verbs such as 'insist', 'demand', and 'require' take the mandative subjunctive in a 'that' clause, which uses the base form of the verb regardless of the subject. Therefore 'submit the report' is correct.

Question 40English Language

Choose the correct word to fill the blank: 'No sooner ______ the branch opened than a long queue formed outside.'

  1. had Correct answer.
  2. was
  3. has
  4. did

Explanation

When a negative adverbial such as 'no sooner' begins a sentence, the subject and auxiliary are inverted. The sequence 'no sooner ... than' requires the past perfect 'had opened', so 'had' fills the blank.

Question 41Quantitative Aptitude

A clerk's monthly salary is ₹32,000. He spends 35% of it on rent and 25% of the remaining amount on food. How much money is left with him?

  1. ₹14,800
  2. ₹17,200
  3. ₹16,000
  4. ₹15,600 Correct answer.

Explanation

Rent is 35% of ₹32,000 = ₹11,200, leaving ₹20,800. Food is 25% of ₹20,800 = ₹5,200, so the amount left is ₹20,800 − ₹5,200 = ₹15,600.

Question 42Quantitative Aptitude

The average age of 15 clerks in a branch is 24 years. When one new clerk joins, the average age of the group becomes 24.5 years. What is the age of the new clerk?

  1. 32 years Correct answer.
  2. 34 years
  3. 36 years
  4. 30 years

Explanation

Total age of 15 clerks = 15 × 24 = 360 years. With the new clerk, total age = 16 × 24.5 = 392 years. New clerk's age = 392 − 360 = 32 years.

Question 43Quantitative Aptitude

A sum of ₹4,200 is divided among A, B and C in the ratio 2 : 3 : 5. What is B's share?

  1. ₹1,260 Correct answer.
  2. ₹1,400
  3. ₹2,100
  4. ₹840

Explanation

Total ratio parts = 2 + 3 + 5 = 10, so one part = ₹4,200 ÷ 10 = ₹420. B receives 3 parts = 3 × ₹420 = ₹1,260.

Question 44Quantitative Aptitude

What principal will earn ₹2,400 as simple interest in 3 years at 8% per annum?

  1. ₹9,500
  2. ₹9,000
  3. ₹10,500
  4. ₹10,000 Correct answer.

Explanation

Use SI = P × R × T / 100. Here 2,400 = P × 8 × 3 / 100 = 0.24P, so P = 2,400 ÷ 0.24 = ₹10,000.

Question 45Quantitative Aptitude

A can complete a piece of work in 10 days and B can complete the same work in 15 days. Working together, in how many days will they complete the work?

  1. 8 days
  2. 5 days
  3. 7 days
  4. 6 days Correct answer.

Explanation

Combined one-day work = 1/10 + 1/15 = 3/30 + 2/30 = 5/30 = 1/6. Therefore they finish the work in 6 days.

Question 46Quantitative Aptitude

The marked price of an article is ₹1,200. It is sold after two successive discounts of 10% and 20%. What is the selling price?

  1. ₹864 Correct answer.
  2. ₹840
  3. ₹960
  4. ₹900

Explanation

After the 10% discount, price = 1,200 × 0.90 = ₹1,080. After a further 20% discount, selling price = 1,080 × 0.80 = ₹864. Successive discounts multiply, giving an effective discount of 28%.

Question 47Quantitative Aptitude

A train 240 m long is running at 72 km/h. How much time will it take to cross a platform 360 m long?

  1. 27 seconds
  2. 30 seconds Correct answer.
  3. 24 seconds
  4. 36 seconds

Explanation

Speed = 72 km/h = 72 × 5/18 = 20 m/s. Total distance to cross the platform = 240 + 360 = 600 m. Time = 600 ÷ 20 = 30 seconds.

Question 48Quantitative Aptitude

The average of 11 numbers is 36. The average of the first six numbers is 34, and the average of the last six numbers is 39. What is the sixth number?

  1. 36
  2. 38
  3. 40
  4. 42 Correct answer.

Explanation

Sum of all 11 numbers = 11 × 36 = 396. Sum of first six = 6 × 34 = 204, and sum of last six = 6 × 39 = 234. Adding these includes the sixth number twice, so the sixth number = 204 + 234 − 396 = 42.

Question 49Quantitative Aptitude

Two pipes can fill a tank in 12 minutes and 18 minutes respectively. Both are opened together, but after 4 minutes the first pipe is closed. How long in total does it take to fill the tank?

  1. 15 minutes
  2. 11 minutes
  3. 12 minutes Correct answer.
  4. 14 minutes

Explanation

In 4 minutes both pipes fill 4/12 + 4/18 = 1/3 + 2/9 = 5/9 of the tank. The remaining 4/9 is filled by the second pipe at 1/18 per minute, taking 8 minutes. Total time = 4 + 8 = 12 minutes.

Question 50Quantitative Aptitude

A and B invest ₹20,000 and ₹30,000 respectively in a business. After 6 months, A withdraws half his capital and B adds ₹10,000. At the end of the year, the profit is ₹28,000. What is A's share?

  1. ₹8,400 Correct answer.
  2. ₹9,000
  3. ₹7,200
  4. ₹9,600

Explanation

A's capital-months = 20,000 × 6 + 10,000 × 6 = 1,80,000. B's capital-months = 30,000 × 6 + 40,000 × 6 = 4,20,000. The ratio is 3 : 7, so A's share = 28,000 × 3/10 = ₹8,400.