Exam 1
IBPS CLERK
Exam 2
SBI CLERK
Salary · Eligibility · Exam Pattern · Syllabus · Which is Better
| Conducting Body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) | State Bank of India (SBI) |
| Exam Category | Banking | Banking |
| Min. Qualification | — | — |
| Age Limit | — | — |
| Exam Stages | — | — |
| Gross Salary | — | — |
| Interview Round | No | No |
| Educational Qualification | IBPS CLERK eligibility → | SBI CLERK eligibility → |
| Age Limit | — | — |
| Nationality | Indian Citizen | Indian Citizen |
| Max Attempts | — | — |
| Total Questions | — | — |
| Total Marks | — | — |
| Duration | — | — |
| Negative Marking | Yes (–0.25) | Yes (–0.25) |
| Interview | No | No |
| Basic Pay | — | — |
| Gross Monthly Salary | — | — |
| Pay Level/Band | — | — |
| Key Allowances | — | — |
IBPS CLERK Subjects
SBI CLERK Subjects
Winner: SBI Clerk
SBI Clerk offers a higher basic pay (₹17,900) vs IBPS Clerk (₹17,900) with better Special Allowance in SBI, resulting in a higher gross monthly salary of ₹26,000–₹29,000 vs IBPS Clerk's ₹24,000–₹26,000.
Winner: IBPS Clerk
IBPS Clerk gives you exposure across multiple PSBs (RRB, OBC, BOI, etc.). Transfers within the IBPS-participating banks ecosystem are smoother for clerks aiming for Mains → PO route later.
Winner: IBPS Clerk
SBI Clerk generally has a higher competition ratio given SBI's brand value. The exam difficulty is broadly similar, but cutoffs tend to run higher for SBI due to aspirant preference.
Winner: SBI Clerk
For first-time banking aspirants, SBI Clerk offers a more structured initial posting, better brand recognition for resume value, and slightly higher pay from day one.
Bottom Line
Both SBI Clerk and IBPS Clerk are excellent entry-level banking jobs. If salary and brand matter most, go for SBI Clerk. If you want wider exposure across PSBs and slightly lower cutoff pressure, IBPS Clerk is the smarter bet for quick selection.
Yes — the preparation overlap between SBI Clerk and IBPS Clerk is approximately 85%. Both share the same subjects (Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English, General Awareness) with nearly identical syllabus and exam pattern. A focused 3–4 month preparation plan can comfortably target both. Most successful banking candidates appear in both and accept whichever comes first.
Expert Tip
Focus on Speed + Accuracy in Reasoning and Quant. GA (especially Banking Awareness) is the differentiator at the Mains stage for both exams. Do not skip Current Affairs for the last 6 months before the exam.
Both SBI Clerk and IBPS Clerk are excellent entry-level banking jobs. If salary and brand matter most, go for SBI Clerk. If you want wider exposure across PSBs and slightly lower cutoff pressure, IBPS Clerk is the smarter bet for quick selection.
Yes — the preparation overlap between SBI Clerk and IBPS Clerk is approximately 85%. Both share the same subjects (Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English, General Awareness) with nearly identical syllabus and exam pattern. A focused 3–4 month preparation plan can comfortably target both. Most successful banking candidates appear in both and accept whichever comes first.
IBPS Clerk: SBI Clerk generally has a higher competition ratio given SBI's brand value. The exam difficulty is broadly similar, but cutoffs tend to run higher for SBI due to aspirant preference.
SBI Clerk: SBI Clerk offers a higher basic pay (₹17,900) vs IBPS Clerk (₹17,900) with better Special Allowance in SBI, resulting in a higher gross monthly salary of ₹26,000–₹29,000 vs IBPS Clerk's ₹24,000–₹26,000.
Explore IBPS CLERK
Explore SBI CLERK
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